NOAA Atlantic Scientific Review Group Opens Nominations
The National Marine Fisheries Services published in the Federal Register a notice and invitations for nominations for a regional scientific review groups to advise the Secretary of Commerce through the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on marine mammal science issues as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Atlantic Scientific Review Group (SRG) advises on marine mammals that occur in waters off the Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Territories in the Caribbean, including: Population estimates and the population status and trends of marine mammal stocks; Uncertai
OCEANS 2026 Monterey: Charting the Future of Ocean Innovation
The marine technology community will converge in California’s Monterey Bay Sept. 21–24, 2026, at the Monterey Conference Center. Hosted in one of the world’s most dynamic marine-science hubs, OCEANS 2026 Monterey will bring together industry leaders, researchers, students, policymakers, and innovators to explore the latest advances in ocean and freshwater technology, sustainable practices, and maritime operations. OCEANS conferences consistently attract over 2,000 attendees from more than 40 countries, representing academia, industry, and government.
Explorer to Attempt Solo Unassisted Nonstop Circumnavigation of the Arctic Ocean
On June 25, solo sailor, explorer, researcher, and founder of the nonprofit Ocean Research Project, Matt Rutherford, will depart from Aasiaat, Greenland, where he will attempt the first-ever solo, nonstop, unassisted circumnavigation of the Arctic Ocean. His target finish is early October.The route covers more than 10,000 miles through three of the most hostile ocean environments on Earth: the North Atlantic, the Russian Arctic coast via the Northern Sea Route, and the Northwest Passage through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. No one has completed this passage solo and nonstop. Until recently, no one
Vessel Maintenance Demands Rise, IMCA Urges Focus on Diver Safety
International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has reminded vessel owners and operators of the significant risks associated with underwater ship husbandry (UWSH) operations as activity in the Strait of Hormuz increases.As vessels begin returning to service following extended periods at anchor, demand for hull cleaning, inspection, and maintenance has risen sharply. These activities, commonly grouped under UWSH, play a critical role in restoring vessel efficiency by removing marine growth and biofouling.Bloomberg has reported that orders for crews to clean ship hulls fouled by algae, slime, and crustaceans
Hydromea, FAU Receive AUKUS Grant
at depth is practically impossible with conventional technologies: radio waves and GPS do not penetrate seawater, and acoustic systems offer severely limited bandwidth. Vast volumes of sensor data sit stranded on the seabed, inaccessible unless a vessel physically retrieves them.The joint FAU-Hydromea platform integrates two complementary technologies: long-range acoustic links for resilient wide-area command and control, and Hydromea's high-speed LUMA FSO optical modems for rapid, high-bandwidth data harvesting. This hybrid architecture resolves the fundamental trade-off that has constrained
US Supplies Autonomous Drones to Boost Philippine Maritime Surveillance
The United States has transferred four Ocean Aero Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUSVs) to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to strengthen the country's maritime domain awareness and its ability to monitor and respond to maritime challenges.The delivery, valued at approximately $13 million, was completed on June 22 during a turnover ceremony at the Philippine Navy's Naval Operating Base Subic, attended by U.S. and Philippine military officials.The Triton systems are capable of collecting data above and below the ocean's surface through a resilient mesh network and can
Autonomous Vehicles Solve (and Create) Problems for Ports
Autonomous vehicles are increasingly sophisticated defensive tools for ports wanting to protect against maritime threats - including attacks from other autonomous vehicles.In December 15 last year, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that its underwater drone had struck a Russian submarine in Novorossiysk. The incident highlighted just how sophisticated potential threats have become. Harbor cameras were likely hacked, providing real-time visual evidence of the attack, with associated AI possibly identifying and guiding the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to its target.The value of AI is
Greenpeace Challenges Dutch Government on Deepsea Mining
Plans by Swiss-Dutch offshore giant Allseas to operate machinery for deep sea mining firm The Metals Company under unilateral U.S. authorization directly violate the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), according to a legal opinion commissioned by Greenpeace Netherlands.The legal opinion by Professor André Nollkaemper of the University of Amsterdam notes that the binding May 2026 Contract for Development Work and Commercial Production between Allseas and The Metals Company (TMC) includes activities prohibited under international law. According to Nollkaemper the threat is “no
Coral Reef Rescue Underway
decades ahead.Researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and partners have established an interlinked network of weather stations, moorings, buoys and other sensor-loaded devices to collect data on tropical marine ecosystems and assembled a team of oceanographers to coordinate efforts and analyze the information.Weather station at Davies Reef (Image courtesy of Marie Roman / AIMS)“The instruments we use operate in difficult environments and can get damaged. A tenacious barnacle can ruin months of data,” said AIMS Oceanography and Shelf Processes Team Lead Simon Spagnol
February 2026
