UPDATE, AUGUST 19, 2019: The Alucia2 submission contest ended, with 7,000 entries. However, voting is open, for the five finalist names. Visit OceanX’s website to make your choice.
Read on for our original article.
If you’ve ever wanted to take a personal sub dive, here’s your chance. The prominent ocean-research team behind the extraordinary ocean explorer Alucia2 will take you on one. There’s a catch, but a fun one: submit the winning new name for the vessel.
A conversion project underway in The Netherlands, Alucia2 is a 276-footer (84-meter) belonging to OceanX. The non-profit is focused on marine exploration and discovery, teaming with scientists. In sum, Alucia2 is OceanX’s way of exploring uncharted oceans and depths. The former oil survey ship won’t just explore, but also help document. It’s thanks to onboard film-editing suites, along with dry and wet marine research labs. In fact, director and ocean advocate James Cameron is involved in the filmmaking aspects. Ultimately, Ray Dalio, OceanX’s founder, says the organization is on a mission to show the public how “ocean exploration is more exciting and important than space exploration.”
One way it plans to do so is through Mission: OceanX, a TV series in production with Cameron, Nat Geo, and the BBC. The program will follow a team of ocean explorers and scientists as they try to uncover some of the biggest ocean mysteries. Alucia2 will serve as the filming platform, and a star in her own right. Cameron likens it to a true reality show. “That’s part of the excitement—you go out there, and you don’t know what’s going to happen,” he tells Variety. “The ocean hasn’t read your script, and there’s no Take 2.”
Along those lines, OceanX wants a bigger, bolder name to reflect Alucia2’s purpose. “Something that conveys the potential, excitement, and importance of our blue planet and what we’re trying to do,” it states. Cameron agrees, adding that a key goal is to inspire future explorers much the way Jacques Cousteau did him.
The winner gets bragging rights, of course, but the submersible dive is truly a unique opportunity, alongside OceanX’s team.
The contest to submit ideas ends August 7. Enter here.
OceanX oceanx.org
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