Research sailing vessel Forel Photo: Richard Mardens
The Forel Heritage Association is launching a call for proposals for a scientific mission aboard the research sailing vessel FOREL, operating in Lancaster Sound (Tallurutiup Imanga).
The newly established Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area (Lancaster Sound), located in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago between Baffin Island and Devon Island at the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage, is co-managed by the Government of Canada and Inuit organizations of Nunavut. It is a key area for marine mammals and seabirds, characterized by a highly productive food web supported by strong primary production, notably associated with sea ice and nutrient-rich upwelling of deep waters.
The Forel research sailing vessel could support this conservation area by contributing to environmental monitoring and advancing scientific knowledge in line with community needs, subject to approval by the management committee and local communities.
It will also be possible to incorporate specific research projects addressing local concerns (e.g., contaminants, underwater noise, biodiversity, etc.). However, space onboard will be limited, and proposed projects must be approved by the park’s governing bodies, namely the Government of Canada and Inuit organizations.
FOREL is a 28-meter aluminum expedition sailing vessel specifically designed for polar and subpolar coastal research. The vessel is equipped with wet, dry, and clean laboratories, allowing multidisciplinary scientific operations in remote Arctic environments.
Schedule and organization
The 2027 summer expedition will be structured into five phases (legs):
• Leg 1 – Transit Lorient (France) – Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe, France): April to May
• Leg 2 – Transit Pointe-à-Pitre – Tuktoyaktuk (NWT): June to July
• Leg 3 – Tuktoyaktuk (PAP-27): mid-August to early September (subject to a separate call for proposals)
• Leg 4 – Northwest Passage (Tuktoyaktuk – Pond Inlet, NU): September
• Leg 5 – Lancaster Sound: mid-September to late September
Surface water sampling (primary production, elements, and particles) may be conducted during transit legs; this should be specified in the proposals.
More information and the full call for proposals are available here.
Submission deadline: October 15, 2026.
