OC Sport Pen Duick, which uses the events it organises as a platform for impact, will be putting the spotlight on sailing transport at the starting village of The Transat CIC. This initiative is supported by CIC, the race's Title Partner, which is providing financial backing for a number of decarbonisation initiatives and is keen to associate a strong social objective with its sporting partnerships.
Given that maritime transport currently generates 3% of the world's emissions and that there are many links between this sector and that of ocean racing, the organisers of The Transat CIC and their partner Title have decided to take advantage of the race village and the start of the race to put the spotlight on marine transport.
A 150 m2 exhibition in the heart of the village
This commitment will be reflected in a 150 m2 space dedicated to sailing transport. Located right in the heart of the starting village for The Transat CIC, which opens its doors on April 23, the space has been set up in partnership with the CIC, Bretagne Développement Innovation (BDI), Wind Ship and Audélor. "In this area, there will be an exhibition of around fifteen panels that will enable the general public, as well as all those involved in the race, to learn more about maritime transport and the reasons why it needs to be decarbonised. It will also present the technical solutions that exist or that are currently being tested. We want to show that there are already boats using these kinds of solutions and that they work," explains Stéphane Bourrut Lacouture, CSR Manager at OC Sport Pen Duick. Several models of cargo ships and demonstrators will also be on display. There will also be a fun activity for children to raise their awareness of the issue. Visitors will be able to play a game on a tablet on which they will be able to follow the route of The Transat CIC in a cargo sailing boat, with small challenges to take up.
The SeaKite, which uses a kite-powered traction system to reduce its daily fuel consumption by up to 20%, will be moored to a pontoon at Lorient La Base for the duration of the Village. Developed by Beyond the Sea, this innovative catamaran can be visited by the general public, without prior registration. It's a great opportunity to see one of the existing solutions in action. The high point of this showcase of marine transportation will take place on Sunday 28 April. Ahead of the start of The Transat CIC, a cargo sailboat, SeaKite, Wisamo Michelin and ACC Wing will symbolically take the start of the race under sail to "show that boats using technical solutions to decarbonise maritime transport exist and can sail", as Stéphane Bourrut Lacouture explains.
Protecting the oceans is more important than ever
There will also be a focus on protecting the oceans through an exhibition set up at the entrance to The Transat CIC starting village. Visitors will be reminded of the importance of protecting the oceans through panels whose content has been developed in collaboration with Ifremer.
Cetacean Protection Zones have been set up during the race. The aim of these no-sailing zones is to limit the risk of collision between the boats taking part in the race and the marine megafauna. These zones have been defined by the French scientific consortium Share the Ocean in consultation with the Race Direction of The Transat CIC and OC Sport Pen Duick, based on scientific criteria, statistical modelling and reported collisions.
Daniel Baal, Président du CIC
"For CIC, a signatory of the Wind Pact alongside the entire wind-powered ship industry, associating our sporting partnerships with a social objective is a strong sign of our commitment to the world of sailing and ocean racing. As a company with a mission, we have set ourselves concrete objectives. Supporting decarbonisation initiatives is one of them, and we're proud to see The Transat CIC innovating in this area and using its media prism to promote and highlight the wonderful initiatives of our French companies present in all our territories".
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