The 2024 Vendée Globe, which started earlier this month and will continue through March of 2025, is one of the most extreme sporting events in the world. It pits solo sailors against the vast, unpredictable forces of nature as they travel around the globe – racing against time and nature as they navigate treacherous waters, face extreme weather conditions, and rely on their boats and personal resilience to survive. 

For those sailing with Thales VesseLINK – powered by the Iridium Certus satellite network – onboard, one thing they don’t have to worry about is staying connected. This advanced communications solution enables enhanced connectivity and safety so that these skippers can focus squarely on facing the journey ahead.  

The Challenge of Solo, Non-Stop Circumnavigation

The Vendée Globe is famously known as "the Everest of the Seas." Competitors embark on a non-stop journey around the world without any external assistance, covering a theoretical distance of 45,000 kilometers (24,300 miles) – representing the theoretical distance you would have to travel to sail around the world. 

Starting in Les Sables d’Olonne, France, the skippers head down the Atlantic Ocean, across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and back up the Atlantic to complete the grueling three-month race. This journey presents not only physical and mental challenges for the skippers but also logistical challenges in terms of navigation, communication, and safety.

Ship-to-shore Connectivity from Anywhere 

One of the biggest challenges with maintaining reliable communications at sea is enabling coverage over vast stretches of ocean. Enter Thales VesseLINK, a maritime communications solution that uses the Iridium Certus satellite network to provide seamless connectivity. The technology ensures that skippers racing with the solution have access to continuous data, voice, and video communications even in the most remote parts of the world. This enables several critical tasks at sea, including downloading weather data, delivering content to the media, staying in touch with friends, family, race team, and more.

Enhancing Safety Through Constant Communication

While the Vendée Globe is a solo journey, safety is always a top priority. VesseLINK provides crucial communication links that allow skippers to stay in touch with race organizers and emergency response teams. In an event of distress, VesseLINK enables immediate, reliable communication, allowing quick coordination for rescue efforts.

The Iridium Certus satellite network that powers VesseLINK is known for its global reach, providing a lifeline in remote ocean regions where traditional communication networks are nonexistent. VesseLINK’s data-sharing capabilities allow skippers to share their location, weather conditions, and onboard diagnostics with race organizers and other stakeholders, providing an extra layer of security and allowing organizers to monitor a boat’s position in real-time.

Moreover, with the real-time situational awareness provided by VesseLINK, skippers can receive timely weather updates, helping them make informed decisions when navigating severe weather systems. This technology, combined with the skippers' expertise, helps minimize risks during the race and ensures that they have the support needed to safely complete their journey.

As the world watches this year’s race, this powerful technology reminds us that while these sailors may be isolated, having connectivity they can trust means they’re never truly alone.