Many shipping companies already have the tools needed to be a part of the solution for sustainable ocean use. The Seabed 2030 project aims to create a complete map of the world ocean floor by 2030, using equipment commonly available on marine vessels.
WOC’s Seabed 2030
As a core partner of Seabed 2030, the World Ocean Council (WOC) is hosting workshops about the project, which aligns with the WOC’s SMART Ocean-SMART Industries (SO-SI) programme. SO-SI’s mission is to ensure industry data collection and sharing is coordinated, efficient and available to public agencies and the scientific community, in support of a safe and sustainable maritime industry.
WOC/Seabed 2030 Online Seabed Data Workshop is a 2-hour virtual workshop
WOC/Seabed 2030 Online Seabed Data Workshop is a 2-hour virtual workshop that will feature 5-10 shipping companies, who will explain how they can share echo sounder data, in order to help ‘map the gaps’ of the ocean seafloor. Many vessels may already be equipped to participate, without additional investment or operating cost.
The vessels that feature the following equipment are ready to participate in Seabed 2030:
- An echo sounder and positioning instrumentation - Common on most ocean-going vessels.
- A data logger and a way to transmit the data to a remote repository - Some vessels have a data logger installed and the cost to add a data logger is between US$ 150 - US$ 250, and transmission is inexpensive.
The WOC/Seabed 2030 Virtual Workshop will include:
- Assessments of each carrier’s readiness to contribute to Seabed 2030.
- Discussion with bathymetric and shipping technology/data experts from Seabed 2030, NOAA, and the University of New Hampshire.
- Case studies from participating operators already sharing seabed data.
- Open discussion on the value to operators and operational considerations.
- Detailed working sessions to determine specific needs for each vessel type, to share seabed data, based on existing instrumentation.
- If any shipping company would like to participate in this workshop, they can submit the participation form available on the website.
SMART Ocean-SMART Industries (SO-SI) Programme
SO-SI works with ocean industries and associations to increase the flow of this data to public agencies
Launched by the World Ocean Council, the SO-SI programme was formed, in response to the call for more ocean, weather and climate data, including from the UN Decade of Ocean Science. SO-SI works with ocean industries and associations to increase the flow of this data to public agencies and the scientific community, in support of a safe and sustainable maritime industry.
Participating companies collect data, by hosting or deploying instruments, or sharing depth sounding data. This data can then be used by the scientific community and others to support safe and sustainable shipping (e.g., improved current maps for weather routing).
Companies participating in SO-SI are able to demonstrate their contribution to:
- N. Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Conserve and sustainably use the ocean.
- N. SDG 14 Target 1.a – Increase ocean knowledge.
- N. Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
The WOC is also an accredited observer at the International Hydrographic Organization.
