Planet Beyond

The best preparation is often to make ourselves as adaptable as possible, to be resilient to changes in circumstance. That is a mantra to Mark Sinclair, better known as Captain Coconut, who we last spoke to in Episode 4: Learning from Adventure . The intrepid Coconut thought he had failed to traverse the globe in his one-hander sailboat as he had to return home low on water and with his hull cover...

It began with a five-month expedition in a small rowboat crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Twin realisations struck the younger Julie Angus: the vastness and lack of information available on our oceans as well as the vulnerability of the marine environment. The worst hurricane season in recorded history also hit home the challenges of navigating such an environment, and so in the years to come she foun...

As the world transitions to a low carbon economy, the way we use the seas will also change. Vessels are in a state of flux as new communications technology and advances in automation mean that the requirements for a crew are rapidly disappearing for many operations. This brings amazing benefits for sustainability, as well as the obvious safety gains. For some vessels the efficiency improvements fr...

In May we told the story of Charles Czajkowski, one of the few pancreatic cancer patients to have survived beyond six months of diagnosis. Fewer than 7% of patients survive beyond five years of diagnosis. Challenges face healthcare providers, including a lack of alarm symptoms, but outcomes for this terrible disease have barely improved in decades, despite new drugs becoming available. For this ep...

Good intentions alone will not secure the future of our seas. More than 90% of trade moves across the ocean, and the global population eyes the marine environment as an increasing source of food. Added to this, a range of new activities are forecast to increase the ocean economy from $1.5 trillion in 2010 to $3 trillion in 2030. Even if we take the enlightened path and use the oceans sustainably,...

In some ways more is known about the surface of Mars than our own planet. With over 70% of the Earth’s surface covered in ocean, more than 75% of this watery space has never been mapped.   This daunting data hole prevents search and rescue teams from performing vital work, such as like searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines 370 aircraft. It also stands in the way of our scientific unders...

For much of history the seas have loomed impossibly large and untouchable. This perception is at odds with the vulnerability of ocean environments. Now, following decades of abuse by a growing human society, a realisation has been reached. The degradation of the world’s oceans has led to several looming crises: plastic pollution, warmer waters and chemical changes are all causing untold damage. Bu...

This is an episode about filling in the gaps. Gaps in our knowledge of the largest environment on the planet, the ocean. Although it is not quite true that we know less about the ocean floor than outer space, it is still the closest thing we have to an alien environment on Earth. And that is a problem. Knowing the depth and shape of the seafloor (bathymetry) is fundamental for understanding ocean...

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer in the world. In the UK 50% of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will die within three months of their diagnosis. Only 7% will survive for five years, the lowest of any common cancer type. We hear from Charles Czajkowski about his battle with pancreatic cancer as an example of what can happen when the response to the disease is done we...

Live from Oceanology International in London we discuss how to attract, develop and train the skills needed to handle the tsunami of new technology coming into the sector. Development of uncrewed vessels and improved digital communications are creating new opportunities for people at all levels of career progression. Guests Gordon Meadows, CEO, SeaBot XR Dan Jones, Director of Inspection Repair an...

One fifth the size of the continental US, Alaska stands as America’s only Arctic state. And when it was founded, Alaska was given a special deal. Too remote for full Federal infrastructure funding, Alaska would have to pay for its own needs from the wealth locked away below its frozen soil.  For many years this worked well, and revenue from mineral resources and hydrocarbons covered up to 90%...

Belen Valdovinos and Rada Khadjinova are world leading sports people who push themselves to do better every single day. Their dedication and determination drives them in sport and in their work at Fugro. Listen now and be inspired! Host Jon Baston-Pitt Guests Belen Valdovinos, Business Development Manager America, Fugro Rada Khadjinova, Alaska Country Manager, Fugro

What does it mean to serve? For most, a career in a military and what it is to be a soldier are complete unknowns. Deployment conjures up images of courage, of danger, and of endurance. Yet the resourcefulness and problem-solving skills that the military imparts to its personnel also makes them a resource to civilian industries. A resource that is often under-appreciated and under-utilised by busi...

Mark Heine has been with Fugro since 2000 and CEO since 2018 and although gathering data about our planet has been his passion since studying geodetic engineering at Delft University, mountaineering is his first love. At just 10 years old Mark conquered his first summit and after that he was hooked. His hobby has taken him to the top of the world’s highest peaks from El Capitan...

We’re in a race against time when it comes to decarbonising energy. Hydrogen could play an important role in the transition but only if we can move to producing it from water instead of natural gas. In this episode we hear from a company that is already working on this with the world’s first pilot project, and find that collaboration is critical to successful deployment. Host Jon Baston-Pitt...

By 2050 it is forecast that 75% of global electricity will come from renewable generation making wind energy critical in fighting the climate crisis. In this episode we hear that by sitting out in deep waters floating wind could not only become a viable solution to the energy transition, it can also be a hub for marine life and also a major producer of green hydrogen. Photo courtesy of Principle P...

From the US and Korea to Scotland and Portugal exciting things are happening in the world of wind energy. Instead of building offshore wind farms close to shore, the successful deployment of floating platforms for turbines is opening the vast ocean to renewable energy development.  The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) predicts commercial deployment of six gigawatts of floating wind energy ge...

An adventurous spirit in people has made many successful organisations what they are today. To be truly great, we often find these people are guided by a moral compass, possessing core values that provide that relentless pointer to the right way, even when all plans have turned on their head. Fugro’s hydrographic director Mark Sinclair is a man who always knows how to find his way. In 2018 he part...

We have one planet and one ocean system but its health is in rapid decline. We bring together leading experts to discuss how science could save our oceans. The timing could not be more critical as 2021 saw the launch of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science. The initiative aims to improve our understanding of the world’s largest ecosystem. A wide range of data gathering projects have already...

In this episode, a panel of experts representing established, leading companies as well as new technology disruptors tackle one of the most difficult issues of our time: climate change. Specifically, how industry can innovate and transform to better overcome the emerging challenges. We discuss how to create a beehive of collaboration, not only within a company structure, but well beyond. A discuss...

Introducing Fugro’s Planet Beyond podcast. In this inaugural episode we look at the islands of the South Pacific, whose inhabitants are among the first to experience the hardships of climate change. Sea level rises, coupled with more frequent and more extreme weather events, are impacting the lives of these low-lying coastal communities. We are joined by two experts in disaster relief and coastal...

Welcome to the Planet Beyond podcast. Brought to you by Fugro, the leading partner in uncovering geo-data from the greatest subsea depths right to outer space and hosted by Jon Baston-Pitt. Planet Beyond is about doing business better in our fast changing, and acutely delicate, yet exquisite, world.  Together we will explore issues beyond the day-to-day challenges; listen to those who should...