AFP partners TARA Oceans expedition

Agence France-Presse has decided to support Tara Oceans in an unprecedented media partnership after an approach by the international scientific expedition.

"The issue here is universal and the adventure singular," said AFP chairman Pierre Louette. "The Tara expeditions are oriented towards scientific research linked to the impact of climate warming to the future of humanity."

"It involves informing as many people as possible to see what ails our oceans and what, nevertheless, still leaves them so rich, and to promote awareness of our natural environment," said Louette. "In contributing to science and consciousness by distributing this news across the whole world, AFP is faithful to its own mission."

The ocean explorer TARA set sail on September 5 from Lorient in western France for a three-year, 150,000 kilometre (81,000 nautical mile) voyage that will take it to all the world's oceans to study the impact of global warming on marine ecosystems.