The historic three-masted sailing ship, Statsraad Lehmkuhl, has undergone a remarkable transformation with the installation of Kongsberg Discovery technology to support its role as a research vessel for the upcoming One Ocean Expedition. Departing from Bergen, Norway on 11 April, this 111-year-old ship is now equipped to conduct important research in unique ocean environments, including the challenging waters of the Northwest Passage.

Measuring nearly 100 meters in length, Statsraad Lehmkuhl is Norway’s largest sailing ship and now boasts a range of advanced Kongsberg Discovery systems. These include 75 and 300 kHz ADCPs, EK80 Echo Sounders, a sophisticated hydrophone cluster, and the Seapath GNSS-aided inertial navigation system. Additionally, the vessel features Blue Insight, an innovative ocean data management and analytics platform that will process and share collected data with onshore teams on a daily basis. Various other equipment such as weather stations, water samplers, situational awareness tools, and motion reference units have also been integrated into the ship’s systems.

The One Ocean Expedition, scheduled for 2025-2026, will span 12 months and cover 26 ports across three continents. During this journey, the research team onboard Statsraad Lehmkuhl will collect valuable data to better understand ocean health, monitor marine ecosystems, and assess the impacts of climate change. This expedition aims to raise awareness and contribute to the knowledge base surrounding critical oceanic issues.

Kongsberg Discovery’s technology will play a crucial role in various research tasks during the expedition. For example, the ADCPs will be used to measure ocean currents, providing insights into how marine life is influenced by these movements. The hydrophones will be utilized to detect underwater noise, enabling researchers to monitor pollution levels and track marine mammals like whales.

The One Ocean Expedition will kick off during One Ocean Week in Bergen and make stops at ports such as Reykjavik, Nuuk (Greenland), Cambridge Bay (Canada), Seattle, La Paz (Mexico), Cartagena (Colombia), Cadiz, and Dublin. During a visit to Nice, France, expedition members will participate in the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. Statsraad Lehmkuhl is expected to return to Bergen in April 2026, just in time for the following year’s One Ocean Week.