They will gain communication and life skills alongside their academic study and vocational training activities. The ship will provide outstanding research facilities into the environment and health of the oceans. It will embark scientists from all over the world who will undertake a range of research programs and stimulate the interests of the trainees in such areas as climate change and habitat destruction, thereby helping to avoid perpetuating what are too often parent prejudices. Sustainability will be fundamental to all areas of education and instruction.

For the older trainee, courses up to Doctorate level will be offered in the fields of the environment, oceanography, meteorology, fishery conservation, health of the oceans, climate change etc. All the required research facilities will be provided either between decks or in specialized containers on the upper deck. The ship will become a prestigious and unique international maritime academy. FSP21 will be technologically sophisticated, being built wherever possible from renewable materials and with an eye on eventual 'green' disposal after 100 years design life. A 'green' passport will be carried, which will record all materials that will require special disposal mechanisms. This ship will be the first major sailing ship to use photovoltaics in the 90,200 sq. ft. sail area, and around the hull. FSP21 will be the largest, most environmentally friendly, sailing ship in the world.

In the first 50 years of life FSP21's achievements will be substantial. 45,000 young people will have served on board and benefited from life transforming activities, from receiving the sustainability message, and seeing and hearing the results of monitoring the planet. 4,000 scientists will have conducted 200,000 years of research on board. Around 5,000 Doctorates will have been supported and from such an eminent base Nobel prizewinners will undoubtedly emerge. International friendships will be legion and many will achieve high status within their home governments and industries, working together for the future good of all people. There has never been a greater need for this kind of venture as the world drifts towards threatening and challenging environmental change that, unless corrected, will destabilize nations and rock the established order.

University of the Oceans

Sparred length: 51.5 ft.
Beam: 56 ft.
Draught: 26 ft.
Air Draught: 305 ft.
Displacement: 4,000 tons
Sail Area: 90,200 sq. ft.

Ship speed under power: 20 knots
under sail: 18 knots

Why A Sailing Ship

A sailing ship is recognized world wide as offering much more than sail training. It provides an experience that is not possible to duplicate elsewhere. A person learns a lot more about him or her self on board a sailing ship, being pushed to levels higher than he or she may ever have thought possible. Any time spent in the rigging can be classed as quality time for character building. The combination of academic studies with sail training provides a unique opportunity for learning, together with encouraging communication and life skills in a beneficial change of environment away from the distractions of shore life. All this will be achieved in the largest and most gracious square-rigged education, adventure training and research sailing ship in the world. As a privately funded initiative this project has received strong government, industrial and individual support. Initial financial contributions have enabled the production of full business plans together with the corporate activities to set up as a charitable company, recognized in the UK and by CAF America.