Polar BLAST is polar and deep-sea research initiative, endorsed by Yachts for Science, that transforms vessels of opportunity into platforms for Arctic and Antarctic exploration.

Dr Paige Maroni is a polar and deep-sea biologist whose work is expanding what is possible in some of Earth’s most remote and least accessible marine environments. Her discoveries on hadal amphipods, abyssal snailfish, Antarctic invertebrates, and Arctic ecosystems reflect her belief that exploration carries a responsibility: to seek understanding, to return with knowledge, and to share it openly. She is the co-founder and director of Polar BLAST, a Yachts for Science research initiative that partners with vessels of opportunity to research and understand the Arctic and Antarctic, uniting advanced subsea technology with species discovery, policy engagement, and public outreach.

During the northern summer of 2026 through the Canadian Arctic, across the Northwest Passage, and onward to Greenland. This rare and ambitious transit presents a truly unique scientific opportunity: to undertake a world-first deep-sea lander, ROV, BRUV and eDNA deployment transect across one of the planet’s most inaccessible marine corridors, generating new insights into Arctic deep-sea ecosystems while showcasing what is possible when exploration, technology, and stewardship come together.