We can’t meet the demand for our voyages with Pelican alone, so, in 2021, we decided that we needed a second ship. The Fridtjof Nansen will take up to 40 young people plus professional crew on our 7, 10 and 14-day voyages in the Spring and Summer, and up to 45 on the 6-month winter voyage with our partner Ocean College. The feedback we collect confirms the transformative impact of spending time on board. Those young people who journey with us are not only taught new skills, but they discover all about themselves, and what drives their ambitions and interests.
Many go on to education and employment in the maritime industry or environmental conservation. In the summer of 2022, during our first full sailing programme since the global pandemic, 16% of the young people indicated strongly that sailing could lead to a career in the maritime sector in response to our post-voyage questionnaires.