Collaboration designed to improve public understanding of the ocean
NOAA and the exploration initiative OceanX have forged a formal agreement to advance cutting-edge ocean exploration and scientific research that increases public understanding of the importance and value of the ocean.
Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer is recovered after a dive to explore within the Stetson-Miami Terrace Deepwater Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern, off the coast of Florida in November 2019. (Image credit: NOAA)
Through a new memorandum of understanding, NOAA scientists will advise and join OceanX offsite link on missions aboard specially designed high-tech OceanX vessels to advance their shared goals to explore and characterize the deep ocean.
3.3 million:
The number of people working in the American Blue Economy
“We are living in a new age of ocean discovery with today’s ocean explorers working together to better understand the vast mysteries of the global ocean,” said RDML Tim Gallaudet, Ph.D., USN Ret., assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and deputy NOAA administrator. “NOAA is forging new partnerships such as the one with OceanX to accelerate our mission to explore and characterize the ocean, understand its key role in regulating our weather and climate, and sustainably manage and use its valuable resources to power the American Blue Economy.”
NOAA’s memorandum of understanding with OceanX is another example of NOAA’s increased effort to create partnerships that help NOAA advance ocean science and new technology, fully map the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone and strengthen the American Blue Economy, which includes maritime commerce, domestic seafood production, healthy and sustainable fisheries, coastal resilience, energy production, tourism and recreation, environmental protection, and national security.
“We are thrilled to partner with NOAA, our nation’s leading science agency, and can think of no more important partner to support our core mission at OceanX, which is to create a global community that is engaged with understanding, enjoying, and protecting our oceans,” said Vincent Pieribone, vice chairman and chief scientist at OceanX. “We are looking forward to combining the efforts of NOAA’s world-class ocean scientists and OceanX’s science, technology and media teams to produce critical scientific research and impactful ocean media.”
OceanX was created in 2018 with a mission to explore the ocean and bring it back to the world. OceanX combines next-gen technology, science, and storytelling to educate, inspire, and connect the world with the ocean. OceanX does so by convening leading scientists, media entities, global leaders, and philanthropy partners to drive towards greater understanding and protection of our oceans.
The collaboration will support the recent Presidential Memorandum on Ocean Mapping in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and Shoreline and Near Shore of Alaska and the goals announced at the November 2019 White House Summit on Partnerships in Ocean Science and Technology.
The MOU with OceanX comes on the heels of two other partnerships with the technology company Ocean Infinity offsite link and Viking Cruises.
Media contact
Monica Allen, NOAA, 301-734-1123
Rida Bint Fozi, OceanX,
