I’ve always believed that the most meaningful collaborations begin with conversations – people meeting, sharing ideas, and realizing they’re working toward the same future. This project is exactly that kind of story.
As the founder of Fair Winds Collective, I’ve spent years bringing people together who care deeply about the ocean, climate responsibility, and truly sustainable ways of moving across our planet. Through networking, meetings, and ongoing dialogue within the maritime and ocean science communities, a powerful alignment emerged – one that has now grown into a collaboration between Fair Transport’s Tres Hombres, SOOP (Shaping an Ocean of Possibilities), and our wider Fair Winds Collective network.
Wind-Powered Sailing Meets Wind-Powered Science
At Fair Winds Collective, our mission has always been grounded in sustainability: enabling seafaring powered purely by wind — without emissions and without compromise. Wind is not a nostalgic idea for us; it’s a serious, proven, and scalable solution.
Through conversations with SOOP and the support of The Ocean Movement, it became clear that our values were deeply aligned. SOOP’s ambition to expand global ocean observation through accessible, low-emission platforms fits naturally with what wind-powered vessels already offer.
From those early meetings, an idea took shape:
What if wind-powered ships could also become platforms for ocean science — without adding to the problem they’re helping to study?
That question led us to PlanktoScopes.
A Collaboration for Responsible, Low-Impact Ocean Science
Together with SOOP, we are now bringing PlanktoScope technology onto wind-powered sailing vessels. This collaboration establishes a shared PlanktoScope instrument pool, allowing ships in our network to collect valuable scientific data while maintaining a near-zero environmental footprint.
The first two PlanktoScopes are being installed on:
Both vessels sail by pure wind power and will now serve as mobile, sustainable observation platforms – gathering data as they move naturally across the ocean.
Why Plankton Matter
The PlanktoScope is an open-source imaging microscope that captures high-resolution images of plankton directly at sea. These organisms may be tiny, but their importance is immense.
Plankton:
- Form the base of marine food webs
- Regulate carbon cycles
- Produce much of the oxygen we breathe
- React quickly to changes in ocean conditions
By studying plankton communities, scientists can better understand:
- Ocean warming and acidification
- Shifts in biodiversity
- Carbon absorption and changes in the biological pump
- Harmful algal blooms
- Long-term climate indicators
Collecting this data matters – and collecting it without emissions.
How You Can Support Emission-Free Ocean Science
If you’d like to support this initiative, contributions can be made to:
Fair Winds Collective
State: FWC – Support Planktoscoop
IBAN: NL88 TRIO 0321 0767 96
BIC: TRIONL2U
Every contribution helps place more instruments on wind-driven vessels and strengthens a new model for responsible research at sea.
Looking Ahead
Together with The Ocean Movement, SOOP, Tres Hombres, Tilvera Expeditions, and many people behind the scenes, we are proving that inclusive, low-impact ocean science is not only possible – it’s already happening.
This collaboration grew from conversations, trust, and a shared belief. With continued support, we can turn this into a global movement of wind-powered observation.
Let’s keep building it – together – Set sail with purpose.
2025-11-20, Peggy Engelmann
#PeggyMerkur 