All-Women Crew on Two-Year Sea Voyage to Tackle Ocean Plastic Pollution

Setting off on the mission to rescue the ocean, ten women have started their two-year scientific trip to analyse ocean plastics. The all-women expedition departed from Plymouth on October 8 and will cover 30 destinations around the globe. Around 300 women are expected to take part in the expedition in different legs of the trip.

The Exxpedition

The trip is called Exxpedition to represent the female chromosome (XX). The team consists of all-women crew to highlight the under-representation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) industries, which is reported to be just 13%

Mission behind the Exxpedition

Headed by Sky Ocean Rescue ambassador Emily Penn, the expedition mission will bring together people from all walks of life in an attempt to increase the scope for finding solutions to tackle ocean plastics.

Speaking about the mission, Penn said that she doesn’t believe in having any silver bullet solution for solving the problem of plastic in ocean. However, she also said that there are still many things that can be done only if people from different backgrounds, skill sets and expertise come together.

She added that there is a need for scientists as well as artists, teachers, designers, and policy makers and industry leaders, to work on those solutions.

Five oceanic gyres to be covered

Covering a span 38,000 nautical miles, the ship will visit four of the five oceanic gyres which witness the accumulation of ocean plastic.

At their first stop at the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, 10 new women will join the ship.

The first leg will have participants from the UK, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Croatia, Canada, USA and Germany.

The University of Plymouth will lead the scientific tests carried out on-board and on samples sent back to land.

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