Cape Town, South Africa
It's time for our Odyssey's 80th stopover! Our laboratory vessel joined the shore team and her educational exhibition village in sunny Cape Town, after a difficult crossing from Gqeberha. This event will gather many institutional, industrial, and academic players committed to making the energy transition a reality accessible to all.
Coming from: Gqeberha, South Africa
Weather conditions: Sunny
Time of arrival: 5:00 PM
The mythical Cape of Good Hope passage
Energy Observer has just rounded the Cape of Good Hope!
Marin Jarry, captain of Energy Observer, shares his impressions with you.
“It's amazing that a boat from Saint-Malo is rounding this cape, because Saint-Malo and the Cape of Good Hope hold a long history: it represents the spice route, and our forefathers passed through here time and again, so we're in their wake!”
Victorien Erussard and the entire Energy Observer team were waiting for the legendary catamaran at the V&A Waterfront marina, where our educational exhibition village has been set up and which will be open to the public from June 12 to 18!
South Africa is currently experiencing a serious energy crisis with daily power cuts. Cape Town is thus an essential stopover for Energy Observer's Odyssey, which aims to share its decarbonization solutions and continue its educational mission that aims to mobilize and federate expertise to accelerate the energy transition.
“For Energy Observer, this stopover in South Africa is fundamental to understanding the issues facing the BRICS countries as they move towards low-carbon energy production. Exploding energy demand, galloping demographics, and dependence on fossil fuels. These are the components of an equation that forces us to rethink energy systems that have taken decades to build and the very structure of our socio-economic model.”
Before this stopover, Victorien Erussard had the opportunity to travel the region from Cape Town to the coal-mining sector of Mpumalanga to make a 2-part 15-minute film on the country's energy transition challenges.
A memorable inauguration
The launch of our stopover was welcomed and supported by many institutional players, and our Odyssey partners especially Accor, Air Liquide, Toyota and CMA CGM.
“We are proud to support Energy Observer in its mission to promote renewable energy deployment. This partnership aligns with our commitment to sustainability and reflects our belief in the power of technology and partnerships to address climate change. By working together, we can drive positive change and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future.”
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation @DrBladeNzimande getting onboard the Energy Observer, which is a hydrogen-powered, zero emissions vessel, currently docked at the Table Bay harbour until the 20th of June 2023 #HydrogenVesselinZA #HydrogenEconomy #ItsPossible
Address by @DrBladeNzimande on the occasion of the Air Liquide and Energy Observer event held at Table Bay harbour in Cape Town on the 12th of June 2023 #HydrogenVesselinZA #HydrogenEconomy #ScienceSavingLives #ItsPossible
Full address - https://lnkd.in/dGPfvNRq
An unprecedented audiovisual production
The auditorium of our exhibition village will be the scene of several events:
- A ground-breaking documentary screening on South Africa's energy transition, hosted by Victorien Erussard.
- The world of education will be mobilized for National Youth Day on June 16, when Mr. Buti Manamela, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation, will take part in the opening of the "Youth in Innovation" exhibition organized by Sasol, the stopover's event partner.
- On June 17, Energy Observer and the University of Cape Town's Energy Systems Research Group will host a round-table discussion on the state of research and green hydrogen in the Southern African context.
- Meetings with the crew
Practical information
- Dates: June 12 to 20
- Opening of the exhibition village: Open to the public from June 12 to 18, from 10 am to 6 pm.
- Free admission
- Address docking boat and village: Jetty 2, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront - Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
* The boat will be visible but cannot be visited by the general public.