NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer at sea. Image courtesy of Art Howard/NOAA OER. Download larger version (jpg, 11.5 MB).

Current Operations:

In Port: Pascagoula, Mississippi

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is in port in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for upgrades and repairs. Operations are expected to resume in Spring 2021. Learn about planned expeditions for April through September 2021, when NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer will conduct exploration work in the North Atlantic Ocean. A total of seven cruises are planned, for a combined 134 days at sea.

About the Ship

Meet the Ship

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is the only federal vessel dedicated to exploring our largely unknown ocean for the purpose of discovery and the advancement of knowledge about the deep ocean.

Meet the Team

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is operated by the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and civilians as part of the fleet managed by NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. Mission equipment is operated by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.

Ten Years of Collecting Ocean Exploration Data

Since the first ocean exploration data was collected from NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in 2009, the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research has led expeditions on the ship around the globe.

Browse Expeditions

Follow expeditions on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer while underway or retrace past expeditions. For each expedition, you'll find information ranging from mission plans and background essays to educational materials, expedition updates, and imagery.