On 6 August 2026, the Institut français de Norvège, in partnership with the Tara Ocean Foundation and the UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, was pleased to host a reception on board the Tara Polar Station during its stopover in Tromsø, just a few weeks after departing from Lorient for its very first scientific expedition: Tara Polaris I.
This drifting polar research station is preparing to become locked into the sea ice for more than a year in order to study the Arctic Ocean, the consequences of sea ice melting, and the impact of pollution on these fragile and rapidly changing ecosystems. The data collected will help improve our understanding of climate change and inform decision-making aimed at protecting the Arctic.
For Norway, this stopover holds particular significance. The Tara Polar Station follows in the footsteps of the great polar expeditions pioneered by the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen aboard the Fram. Between 1893 and 1896, the Fram‘s famous drift through the Arctic sea ice profoundly transformed our understanding of the Arctic Ocean.
More than a century later, the goal is now to better understand a rapidly changing Arctic in order to better protect it.
Bringing together 30 scientific institutions from 12 different countries, Tara Polaris I demonstrates the strength of international cooperation in addressing the major environmental challenges of our time.
More information about the Tara Polar Station:
This scientific expedition is fully aligned with the French Polar Strategy 2026–2030, which reaffirms France’s ambition to be a leading actor in the polar regions.
As part of the France 2030 investment programme, the French government is supporting the Tara Polar Station project with €13 million, out of a total project budget of €21 million. This investment reflects France’s commitment to ambitious polar research capable of generating essential knowledge about the transformations taking place in the Arctic and their global consequences.
The French Polar Strategy 2026–2030 is built around three priorities:
🔹 Ensuring regional stability by strengthening France’s contribution to collective security while preserving its freedom of action;
🔹 Re-establishing France as a global leader in polar research through sustainable funding, unified scientific governance and appropriate research infrastructure;
🔹 Preserving the environmental sustainability of the polar regions by combating climate change, protecting ecosystems and regulating resource extraction.
More information about the French Polar Strategy:
The Institut français de Norvège warmly welcomes this ambitious scientific initiative and wishes the entire crew and research teams every success on their mission!