The Ocean Cleanup: Call for Sailors to Take Part in Plastic Research
The Ocean Cleanup is calling on sailors out in the Pacific, anywhere between California and Hawaii this summer, to take part in its research expedition to help map plastic in The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP).This summer, the Dutch non-profit is looking to track the patch, the world’s largest accumulation of floating plastic, using AI technology so they can clean it more efficiently in the future.Sailors willing to fit the AI cameras and use GPS trackers on their leisure trips or during regattas can advance understanding of the patch’s composition to help future cleanup efforts.
NOAA’s PORTS® System Expands Operations to Include Pearl Harbor-Honolulu
NOAA’s first Physical Oceanographic Real-time System, or PORTS®, at Pearl Harbor-Honolulu, Hawaii, is now operational. Installed by NOAA's National Ocean Service, data from the new publicly available observation system advances NOAA’s ability to better serve Hawaii’s coastal communities and secure maritime safety in the Pacific Islands.Pearl Harbor-Honolulu PORTS is NOAA’s 40th system in this national network of precision marine navigation sensors concentrated in busy U.S. seaports, and is the result of a partnership between NOAA and U.S. Navy Region Hawaii. Data from
Jacobs Chooses Fugro to Conduct Investigation for New US Infrastructure on Wake Island
Fugro has been chosen by Jacobs to conduct a nearshore site investigation on Wake Island, a remote US territory located in the central Pacific between Hawaii and Guam. The isolated coral atoll serves as a key logistical and transport hub for the US Navy’s activities in the Indo-Pacific. Fugro’s efforts will equip Jacobs with the essential ground engineering data needed to plan and design a new mooring system on the island, contributing to an ongoing infrastructure modernization program.Fugro has a proven history of successfully handling similar projects, including on Wake Island for
First Deep-Sea Mining Company Asks Trump for International Permit
are already lining up to mine U.S. waters.Vancouver-based The Metals Co asked the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for a commercial recovery permit under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980 to operate in part of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.The application was timed to coincide with a Tuesday hearing on deep-sea mining by a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee at which Gerard Barron, CEO of The Metals Co, testified."America has an urgent need for critical minerals. It needs
MMA Students Complete Real-World Training in Hawaii
Cadets from Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) have completed a Geological Oceanography field course in Hawaii, an innovative experiential learning course 8,000 kilometers from their Cape Cod campus.Eleven students, majoring in Marine Science, Safety, and Environmental Protections (MSSEP), participated in a rigorous, hands-on educational journey to Hawaii from January 3 to January 17, 2025.Shortly after arrival they were taken to Kilauea caldera to observe a 200-foot-high lava fountaining eruption. They then went on day-long hikes through volcanic terrane.In subsequent days, students snorkeled in
Trump Order Fast Tracks Subsea Mining
, and enforceable regulatory pathway available under existing U.S. law, we look forward to delivering the world's first commercial nodule project, responsibly and economically," said Gerard Barron, CEO of the company, which aims to extract nodules from a vast plain of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.Beyond The Metals Company, others eyeing deep-sea mining include California-based Impossible Metals, Russia's JSC Yuzhmorgeologiya, Blue Minerals Jamaica, China Minmetals, and Kiribati's Marawa Research and Exploration.U.S. access to critical
All American Marine Delivers Cal Poly Humboldt Catamaran
vessel will serve as a scientific exploration platform and support faculty research along the Northern California and Oregon coasts.Designed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design, the RV North Wind builds on the proven success of similar research vessels, including the R/V Shackleford and the University of Hawaii’s R/V Imua.Constructed to US Coast Guard Subchapter T standards, it is optimized for near-coastal and offshore operations, supporting Cal Poly Humboldt’s research initiatives in oceanography, marine ecosystems, and the emerging offshore wind industry.The vessel is powered by twin MAN
Cook Islands Deal with China on Seabed Mining Spurs Protest
release of all the pacts signed on the trip.The neighbouring government would need to analyse the contents of the pact released on Monday and its implications for New Zealand and the people of Cook Islands, whose government it intends to engage with in the coming days, he added.Situated halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, the self-governing Cook Islands can interact with the international community as an independent state.The neighbours have committed to consulting on security, defence and foreign relations. New Zealand also provides some budget support and commits to defend the people, who are its
Integrated Data System for Coral Reefs Enables AI Analysis
Musfera Jahan.Coral reefs make up just 1% of the world’s ocean area but they host 25% of all marine life.The technology will bring together datasets from organisations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL) and Australia’s CSIRO.The study has been published in the journal Electronics
February 2025
