Triton Submarines-The Trailblazers on a Mission to Explore, Understand and Protect the Ocean
Right now, our oceans are seeing public engagement not experienced since the 1960’s when Jacques Cousteau’s pioneering ‘Silent World’ documentary was broadcast for the first time. Humanity’s current exploration of Earth’s last great frontier is taking on increasing momentum, and, in the quest to understand, explore and protect the deep seas, submersibles are opening up a new dimension. Quite literally.
Where, in the past, it may have been tempting to dismiss submersibles as extravagant toys onboard superyachts, this is rapidly changing. A growing group of philanthropists passionate about discovery, science, and our oceans - colloquially called the Pink Flamingo Society - are proof of this. Working together with 14 international scientific organizations to coordinate using private vessels for research free of charge, they include private exploration organizations such as OceanX, REV Ocean and Caladan Oceanic, all currently undertaking a variety of groundbreaking scientific exploration of the deep seas. One of their tools for exploring and gathering information has a common denominator: state-of-the-art submersibles built by Triton Submarines.
“We are delighted to see the submersibles we build being used to further humanity’s understanding of our oceans and how to protect them,” says Triton’s co-founder and President, Patrick Lahey. “Since 2019, Triton submersible owners have discovered over 50 new species, conducted vital marine research, visited RMS Titanic for the first time in 15-years, broadcast live from depth on international TV, and explored the oceans in places as remote as Papua New Guinea and the Southern Ocean. There’s no doubting that submersibles play a significant role for an adventurous and scientifically minded new generation of explorers, and Triton is immensely proud to count some of these influential and inspiring patrons of the deep among our clients and partners.”
Dedicated to creating a global community of scientists and storytellers to educate, inspire, and protect the oceans through widespread public engagement, Ray Dalio’s OceanX initiative is the most experienced, successful, and well-equipped initiative to date. Oceanx’s investment in vessels with the sole purpose of achieving the above, curation of a world-class science and operations team, and provision of the specialty equipment required- including two TRITON 3300/3MKII Special Edition submersibles, Neptune and Nadir- has resulted in numerous blockbuster documentaries, including the BBC’s Blue Planet series, David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef, Search for the Giant Squid, Deep Sea Shark and numerous other broadcasts taking viewers into the heart of the ocean.
Another ocean philanthropist undertaking a marine research and awareness program putting most nation states to shame, is Kjell Inge Røkke and his REV Ocean foundation. REV features three main elements: creating an environmental hub, the World Ocean Headquarters, at Fornebu, Norway; constructing an open-source ocean data platform; and building an extraordinary 180-meter vessel. The latter, Project REV, is not only the next ‘world’s largest yacht’ but also a platform equipped for marine science research, exploration, and documentary production with no expense spared. Triton is proud to be delivering REV a TRITON 7500/3, Aurelia, the world’s deepest diving acrylic pressure-hulled submersible, capable of carrying a crew of three on dives as deep as 2,300meters while they enjoy the view through the thickest acrylic sphere ever made.
No mention of contemporary and extraordinary ocean exploration would be complete without including Victor Vescovo and Caladan Oceanic. Investing in the development of the revolutionary TRITON 36000/2, Limiting Factor, the first submersible ever with an unlimited diving depth certification from DNV, Caladan’s completion of the Five Deeps Expedition created headlines around the world and their successful series of dives to the deepest points in each of the five oceans, was an historical first. While achieving a personal ambition, the Caladan program also provided vital and detailed insight into the marine ecosystem of the Earth’s deepest and most remote ocean trenches, while inspiring millions around the world with enthralling images and video footage captured from every dive.
While Nekton Mission, based out of Oxford University, UK, may not fit with the philanthropist programs mentioned, their exhaustive work including that of Oliver Steeds (CEO), deserves mentioning. Nekton’s work with ocean nations, aiding in research to better understand and protect their waters and sharing this knowledge with the world, is commendable. Again, Triton proudly partners with Nekton as they utilize our submersibles on a wide range of expeditions, advancing our understanding and awareness of the oceans.
The benevolent philanthropy of these individuals, and a handful of others like them, will be remembered when stock is taken of Earth’s future. To paraphrase Churchill, “in the field of human interest, never has so much been owed by so many to so few”.