Hublot’s Xplorations program aims to support missions that contribute to the future of mankind on earth, in the oceans and in outer space.
It is already officially backing the X Exomars Martian robot project; the Sorai charity, which protects rhinoceroses and other endangered animal species; and archaeology with Anticythère.
Now Hublot has aligned with the Polar Pod expedition, a zero-emission, ecological vessel designed by French explorer Jean-Louis Etienne to study the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.
The Southern Ocean is earth’s main oceanic carbon sink and a gigantic reservoir of marine biodiversity that is still poorly understood.
The Polar Pod is a 100 meter high vertical vessel kept upright in some of the stormiest seas on the planet by 150 tonnes of ballast.
It will drift without propulsion in the Antarctic current and be powered by the energy of six wind turbines to keep a crew with incredibly strong stomachs functioning.
Construction of the Polar Pod will start in June 2022, with a launch date of late 2023. The expedition will then span three years until 2026, with the changeover of the eight crew members taking place every two months.
“Life on Earth started in the oceans, yet they still have so much to teach us. By joining Jean-Louis Etienne’s Polar Pod project, Hublot wished to contribute to our understanding of our planet, the starting point for making the right decisions for all of our futures. With this project, we are also returning to our maritime roots, which is the source of our very name, Hublot,” says CEO Ricardo Guadalupe.
