Explorer to Attempt Solo Unassisted Nonstop Circumnavigation of the Arctic Ocean
samples that we will use to test NASA ocean models monitoring Arctic waters. By taking action and communicating the story of his journey, he can help us reach our hard-earned $250,000 fundraising goal, directly advancing our science mission during the United Nations–designated Ocean Decade."Expedition at a GlanceOfficial start line: Aasiaat, Greenland, approximately June 25, 2026Three-Phase Route: Greenland → Russian Arctic coast (Northern Sea Route) → Northwest Passage → Baffin Bay → AasiaatPhase one: From Greenland, south around its tip, then north above Iceland
Norway Deploys New Deep-Sea Mapping AUV on First Expedition
Norway has launched the first expedition of a newly acquired autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) designed to improve mapping and understanding of the country's deep-sea areas.The HUGIN Superior vehicle began operations in the northern Norwegian Sea earlier this month after being procured by the Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) through funding provided by the Ministry of Energy in 2025.The deployment marks the first time Norway has access to its own advanced deep-sea mapping platform, a capability previously sourced through private contractors.“This is important for Norway. Now that we
Breaking the Ice on Arctic Research
is unique in its dual role, performing icebreaking and escort duties in the St. Lawrence Seaway in winter and Arctic science in the summer. Double duty means that all scientific equipment that is not part of the vessel must be loaded and installed on the Amundsen before the start of the annual Arctic expedition. Then, at the end of the expedition season, all equipment and collected samples are packed up and offloaded from the ship during an eight-day demobilization period.The scientific cargo and equipment for the five months of the 2026 Amundsen Expedition, explained Marine Research Coordinator Anissa
REV Ocean Launches Maiden Science Voyage to Support Marine Protection, Policy
in Rio de Janeiro in April 2027, alongside the UN Ocean Decade Conference, and runs through the South Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Sargasso Sea and the Eastern Tropical Pacific into late 2028. The missions will advance ocean science and support marine protection and policy work.The research and expedition vessel is designed to function as a convening platform. Boardroom, auditorium and meeting spaces are integrated into the ship's design, directly adjacent to its laboratories so that scientists, policymakers, sectoral and governance authorities and decision-makers can meet alongside the fieldwork
Kongsberg, Ocean Exploration Trust Launch Pacific Seabed Mapping Expedition
Kongsberg and the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) have launched a seabed mapping expedition in the Central Pacific aimed at surveying previously unexplored areas of the ocean floor and testing next-generation mapping technology.The Pacific Mapping expedition, running from June 10 to June 24, will see OET's Exploration Vessel Nautilus deploy Kongsberg's EM 304 MKII multibeam echo sounder for the first time.Three Kongsberg engineers will be aboard the vessel throughout the 14-day mission, using the expedition as a platform to test and refine multibeam mapping technology under real-world operating
Schmidt Ocean Institute Research Team Discovers 31 New Species
An international team of midwater experts on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too) discovered over two dozen new marine species on a recent expedition off the coast of Brazil in the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. The scientists used advanced technologies to explore the Ocean’s midwater — the water between the sunlit layer and the seafloor — which is Earth’s largest and least explored habitable ecosystem. It can take scientists decades to identify and describe new species, but the combination of technology and expertise enabled the team to confirm
NOAA, Partners to Map Seafloor Off the Cook Islands
This summer, NOAA Ocean Exploration will conduct an expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to map, explore and characterize deep waters off the coast of the Cook Islands. The effort is in partnership with the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority.Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), mapping technologies and onsite sensors, the team will explore abyssal plains and the Manihiki Plateau. Operations will include imaging and sampling the seabed and water column to compare a variety of deep-ocean habitat types.The 28-day expedition will take place in July and August 2026. While the expedition is
AI Technology Boosts FarSounder Navigation Capabilities
see ahead beneath the waterline, providing real-time information about the seafloor and the water column. Argos FLS delivers a continuously updated 3D view enabling safer navigation in poorly charted waters, shallow coastlines, and many changing environments.The system is used by unmanned vessels, expedition cruise ships, superyachts, commercial operators, and government vessels worldwide.The combined solution enables users to classify vessels, including non-AIS targets, while also identifying buoys, shorelines, and underwater obstacles ahead of the vessel
eXXpedition All-Women Sailing Mission Sets Off to Map Global Ocean Plastic
An all-women sailing expedition sets sail on April 27, 2026 on a mission to deliver the first global study mapping ocean plastic pollution back to its sources on land. Departing from Auckland, this first part of the voyage will sail across the South Pacific from New Zealand to Tonga.Led by the British environmental organization eXXpedition and ocean advocate Emily Penn, the mission will fill critical gaps in our understanding of where ocean plastic comes from – and help pinpoint the most impactful solutions.The global expedition consists of 10 legs and 10 teams. With the first three legs fully
February 2026
