The Greenpeace ship Esperanza will be in St. George’s this week to kick off its expedition to the Sargasso Sea, a unique region in the North Atlantic Ocean that is home to a diverse array of marine life, including loggerhead and green sea turtles. The ship will be open to local press for tours on July 29th.

The voyage to the Sargasso is part of Greenpeace’s ambitious Pole to Pole expedition aimed at highlighting the threats our oceans are facing -- from the Arctic to the Antarctic -- and the urgent need for their protection under a new Global Ocean Treaty.

The journey will see Greenpeace and University of Florida researchers team up to study the impact of plastics and microplastics on marine life and the importance that the Sargasso’s drifting Sargassum seaweed habitat has for the development of juvenile sea turtles. The Pole to Pole expedition will continue to explore the effects of climate change, overfishing, and oil drilling as it moves towards the Antarctic by visiting many of the areas identified as in need of protection by its latest academic study 30×30: A Blueprint for Ocean Protection, released in April.

DETAILS:

• Saturday, July 27th: Greenpeace USA, Greenpeace Spain, and local partners, Keep Bermuda Beautiful, GreenTeam Bermuda, and Bermuda Marine Debris Task Force, co-host a beach clean-up from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Location: Whale Bone Bay at Ferry Reach, St. George’s, Bermuda. Open to the public; please RSVP via this form.

• Sunday, July 28th: Esperanza arrives in Bermuda. Location: Penno’s Wharf, St. George’s, Bermuda.

• Monday, July 29th: Esperanza open to local press.

• Tuesday, July 30th: Esperanza departs from St. George’s to conduct research about the impact of plastics on wildlife in the Sargasso Sea.

The Esperanza is one of three flagship vessels operated by Greenpeace International. The ship has traveled the world, playing a critical role in exposing environmental injustice and pushing for solutions. Greenpeace’s ships have a long history of campaigning against environmental destruction and continually serve as platforms for scientific research.

Further information on the Protect the Oceans tour can be found here.

For more details on the ship’s visit and to schedule press tours, please contact:

Katie Nelson, Greenpeace USA, +1 678-644-1681, katie.nelson@greenpeace.org

• Press release from Greenpeace