NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer: NOAA Ocean Exploration

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer

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

Current Operations:

Status: In Port: Pascagoula, Mississippi

After successfully completing the Windows to the Deep 2021 expedition, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer entered dry dock to undergo repairs during the winter. We expect to conduct a shakedown of mission systems in February 2022, followed by expeditions involving mapping operations and remotely operated vehicle dives during spring and summer. Stay tuned for more information.

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 NOAA Ocean Exploration.

Ten Years of Collecting Ocean Exploration Data

Since the first ocean exploration data was collected from NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in 2009, NOAA Ocean Exploration 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.