WEAVING FOR A THRIVING PLANET 57 System Change The Sea Ranger Service has introduced two new maritime industry standards; 1) a new type of zeroemission offshore ship, 2) a new training standard to train Sea Rangers as professional seafarers. Those two standards enable the ocean’s biodiversity restoration to be carried out with 94% less CO2 emissions and 30% fewer costs annually. Frame Change: Mindset Shift Focus For the Sea Ranger Service to conduct its work with a sailing vessel, the commercial offshore industry needs a substantial mindset shift. The sector is, namely, inherently risk-averse. The Sea Ranger Service reaffirms its effectiveness to the industry with extensive operational pilots at sea. Community-based Approach The initiative mobilizes young adults from coastal communities and offers them training by military veterans as Sea Rangers. The program fosters social cohesion and acts as a stepping stone towards maritime careers. Once trained, Sea Rangers gain work experience as they are in full-time, paid employment to restore ocean biodiversity and carry out additional offshore tasks to improve environmental management. Two vessels have already been operational in the North Sea, with a third vessel currently under construction. Scaling & Replication Scaling & Replication Strategy: The company’s scaling strategy is to replicate its model through a franchising programme, which has been co-created by PwC, IKEA and Ashoka, and will launch in 2021. Scaling & Replication History: Sea Ranger Service’s model has been piloted in the Netherlands since 2018. In 2021, new franchises will be started in the UK and Norway. Scaling Interest: The objective is to scale the model globally. Initial focus is on the UK and Norway. Beyond the North Sea area, Spain and Greece are prime candidates. The governments of South Africa and Mauritius have also expressed a keen interest. Scaling & Replication Needs: To scale up, Sea Ranger Service is seeking franchisee candidates in various countries. Challenges One of the main challenges faced by the Sea Ranger Service is the capital-intensive nature of its work. Thanks to its contracted revenue from its offshore services to government agencies and commercial maritime firms, the company is able to increasingly attract institutional and banking investment.
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