Expeditions Archive

The Ocean Census JAMSTEC-Shinkai expedition was a 20-day research mission that brought together Japanese Agency of Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, with the key aim of exploring a range of deep-sea ecosystems within the Japanese EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) for new species of marine life.

The Ocean Census South Sandwich Islands Expedition was a 34-day long expedition in collaboration with Schmidt Ocean Institute. The South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, are two of the most remote island chains on Earth. Their seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and deep-sea trenches are home to exceptionally high levels of endemism, supporting species found nowhere else in the world.

The Ocean Census Arctic Deep Expedition was a 22-day long expedition in collaboration with UiT & REV Ocean. The Arctic deep ocean is an expansive, deep, and cold environment where biodiverse habitats lie teeming with myriad species and ecosystems, many of which remain undiscovered or under-studied by science.

The Ocean Census – Bounty Trough research cruise was a 21-day expedition and workshop exploring one of the most remote parts of the deep ocean.

The Macaronesia Tenerife Submersible and Diver Expedition was a 21-day expedition in collaboration with Pisces VI submersible.

The Ocean Census joined forces with its foundational partner, Nekton, on a 31-day expedition conducting rapid surface-to-depth biodiversity assessments to support marine spatial management. Other expedition partners include Kensington, the Government of Comoros, and R-POC partners (including WildTrust), alongside SAIAB.

The Ocean Census joined forces with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) for a 35-day expedition, on CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator, to investigate benthic marine life in the southern and eastern Coral Sea Marine Park

Ocean Census joined forces with the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) for a 27-day expedition to survey deep-sea biodiversity on the ancient seamounts surrounding Johnston Atoll.

The Barents Sea expedition took place in and around the deep and cold waters of the Arctic and was led by The Arctic University of Norway.

2025 Ocean Census Expedition Awardee, Dr. Daniel Lauretta of Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, joined Schmidt Ocean Institute on it's Underwater Oases of the Mar Del Plata Canyon expedition, as Chief Scientist.

This Ocean Census participant expedition will see one scientist from the Ocean Census Science Network working alongside the FAO to explore the seabed of Tanzania and record the diversity of the benthic habitat and fishes found at mesophotic depths.

The Ocean Census is joining the Ocean Exploration Trust on it's Marshall Islands Expedition to explore biodiverse deep-sea habitats.

The Ocean Census joined the Ocean Exploration Trust on it's Mariana Islands Expedition to explore one of the most tectonically and volcanically dynamic locations on the planet.

An Ocean Census Science Network participant worked alongside the FAO to assess fisheries resources and collect samples to improve knowledge on the diversity, distribution, abundance of fishery resources in Kenyan waters.

The Ocean Census is joining the Schmidt Ocean Institute on its ‘Climate Connections at the Ice-Sea Interface’ expedition.