After more than 114 days at sea, Fabrice Amedeo crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe on Tuesday, March 4th, at 3:00 PM. Alone, facing the expanse of the oceans, he overcame chaotic weather patterns, ranging from violent storms to calm depressions yielding no wind and a lot of sleepless nights to accomplish this solo, non-stop, and unassisted circumnavigation.

He is now part of the very exclusive circle of only 32 sailors who have succeeded in this feat at least twice.
This achievement is even more exceptional as it comes just two years after he was shipwrecked on the Route du Rhum. It is the victory of an entire team, united behind the project led by Fabrice: to complete this world tour without ever relying on fossil fuels and to carry out an unprecedented oceanographic campaign in service of the scientific community, thanks to the sensors installed on his boat.

Another race within the race, 100% natural energy

When he set off from Les Sables d’Olonne on November 10th, 2024, for his third participation, our skipper Fabrice Amedeo had not only the goal of pushing his limits and improving his sports performance, he was also embarking on a different kind of adventure, a race that is more respectful of the environment, combining scientific research and energy independence.

In the Vendée Globe, skippers typically carry between 50L and 200L of diesel to meet their boat’s energy needs.
Yet, during these 114 days at sea, Fabrice’s yacht consumed no fossil fuels. Thanks to the energy system developed by Hager Group experts, all of the boat's electrical needs (navigation instruments, lighting, desalination, scientific sensors, etc.) were met. 16 m² of solar panels and two hydro-generators recharged the batteries required to power his electrical requirements. This system allowed the boat to operate completely autonomously, with a reserve lasting up to 36 hours.

This success once again proves that the energy transition is not incompatible with the consumption challenges our society faces, even in the most extreme environments.

"We haven’t saved the planet with this commitment," emphasizes Fabrice Amedeo, "but we’ve highlighted a strong symbol and a commitment to sobriety and energy transition."

A floating laboratory at the service of ocean protection

Fabrice Amedeo achieved far more than just a racing performance during these 114 days. His journey allowed him to gather valuable data on the health of the oceans, particularly around Antarctica, a region that is difficult for scientific ships to access. His boat was equipped with scientific sensors designed to collect fundamental data on the impacts of climate change on the oceans. One of the sensors measured CO2 levels, salinity, and ocean temperature throughout the journey. The other two sensors collected and analyzed the levels of microplastics and marine DNA daily.