Gebrüder Weiss Sponsored Athlete and Climate Advocate Michael Walther Paddles from Europe to South America
The transatlantic paddleboard journey highlights marine conservation, with Gebrüder Weiss providing logistics and communications support.
This weekend, international logistics experts from Gebrüder Weiss put their support of marine conservation into action as German extreme athlete and climate advocate Michael Walther sets off from Lagos, Portugal. Walther is making an attempt to set a new world record and cross the Atlantic Ocean on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). His journey will span approximately 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles), taking him past the Canary Islands and Cape Verde before reaching French Guiana. Walther is undertaking this challenge solo and without a support vessel. His mission is to draw attention to the threats facing the oceans due to climate change and to collect valuable scientific data for marine research.
Before the journey could begin, logistics partner Gebrüder Weiss handled the transportation of the specially designed SUP board from Germany to Portugal. The company has been supporting Walther for several months and is also assisting with communications efforts to raise awareness of his mission.
“With his transatlantic crossing, Michael Walther is sending an important signal for ocean conservation. We are proud to support him as a partner and wish him strength and perseverance on his journey,” says Robert Stahlschmidt, Country Manager Air & Sea Germany at Gebrüder Weiss.
Once the crossing is complete, Gebrüder Weiss will return the paddleboard to Germany via climate-neutral sea freight. The company uses a certified insetting approach, which reduces CO2 emissions directly within the transport chain by utilizing sustainable fuels rather than offsetting emissions through external projects.
More information about Gebrüder Weiss’s sustainability efforts can be found at https://www.gw-world.com/company/sustainability/future-of-mobility and on the company’s social media channels. Since 2021, Gebrüder Weiss has been actively supporting innovation projects in sustainable transportation, collaborating with universities, research institutions, and startups.
Fact Box – Atlantic Crossing by SUP
- Route: From Portugal via the Canary Islands and Cape Verde to French Guiana
- Distance: Approx. 6,000 kilometers (3,728 miles), around 4 million paddle strokes
- SUP Board: Modeled after offshore rowing boats, includes a 2 m² sleeping cabin in the bow
- Equipment: 200 kg of (440 lbs) food, life raft, medical kit, tools
- Navigation: GPS, chart plotter, satellite phone, radio
- Research: Hydrophone for recording marine animal sounds
- Live Tracking: https://zeroemissions.eu/live
Gebrüder Weiss, a global freight forwarder with a core business of overland transport, air, and sea freight and logistics, is the world's oldest transport company with a history that dates back more than 500 years. The family-owned company employs more than 8,600 people worldwide and boasts 180 company-owned locations. The business presence in North America includes headquarters in Chicago and offices in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The company has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic and social initiatives and is considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. The company's emphasis on superior customer service pairs customized solutions with a single point of contact to provide customers with focused, reliable, and economical solutions.
