Round the world on an electric boat: Briton commemorates Magellan

Oceanic navigator Jimmy Cornell, 80, sets sail on a full electric boat from Seville to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first round-the-world voyage, Spain November 19, 2020. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

British navigator Jimmy Cornell set sail from Seville in Spain on Thursday to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first voyage around the world - this time on an electric boat.

Cornell plans to follow the route taken by explorers Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano.

The trip "has two dimensions, a historical dimension, because I want to travel the original and historic route, Cornell told reporters.

Oceanic navigator Jimmy Cornell, 80, sets sail on a full electric boat from Seville to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first round-the-world voyage, Spain November 19, 2020. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

"But it has another very important dimension for me, which is to protect the environment. This is why it is a fully electric boat with zero emissions."

Cornell completed his first world voyage between 1975 and 1981. After returning to some of the places he had visited, Cornell said he was shocked to witness the destruction caused by climate change, prompting him to take on the zero carbon challenge.

Oceanic navigator Jimmy Cornell (R), 80, sets sail on a full electric boat from Seville to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first round-the-world voyage, Spain November 19, 2020. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

(Reporting by Mariano Valladolid; Writing by May Ponzo; Editing by Ingrid Melander and Janet Lawrence)

Oceanic navigator Jimmy Cornell (R), 80, sets sail on a full electric boat from Seville to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first round-the-world voyage, Spain November 19, 2020. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Oceanic navigator Jimmy Cornell, 80, sets sail on a full electric boat from Seville to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first round-the-world voyage, Spain November 19, 2020. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo