OceanX

From Singapore to the Philippines, OceanX Education has made waves in marine science education this year. We've welcomed 2,000+ students aboard OceanXplorer, connected with 6,000+ students through virtual classrooms, and inspired 56,000 visitors through our traveling museum exhibit. Every tour, every virtual session, every exhibit brings us closer to nurturing the next generation of ocean advocates.

From the depths of three nations' waters to groundbreaking research collaborations, our scientific pursuits have charted new territories in 2024. With 50,000 km² of newly mapped seafloor, 186 combined dives, and 28 scientific papers in development, we're advancing ocean understanding like never before. Working alongside 25 research institutions across the Seychelles, Indonesia, and Malaysia, our team aboard OceanXplorer continues to push the boundaries of marine discovery.

Our one-week portside stay in Manila, Philippines, was a productive one. We hosted 178 guests on 12 education tours. Additionally, we have over 130 new explorers onboard during our partnership events. Once we wrapped up our time in Manila, we picked up our helicopter and set our course back to Singapore. Thank you to our visitors and partners: Republic of the Philippines Department of Education (DEPED) Commission on Higher Education (CHED) WWF-Philippines

Jumpa lagi, Malaysia and Mabuhay, Philippines! We wrapped up our time in Malaysia with the team from Mages Tech and Unreal Engine to bring the OceanXplorer into the virtual world. We’re now in Manila, Philippines, a first-time voyage for the team and OceanXplorer. Here, we will be hosting a special family gathering for our Filipino crew members and education tours with Republic of the Philippines Department of Education (DEPED) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

OceanXplorer has gone on some incredible missions this year, conducting research in the Seychelles, Indonesia and Malaysia. Experience the excitement of ocean exploration with our children’s book series, OceanX Adventures, written by award-winning author Kate Jerome in collaboration with our Science Program Director, Mattie Rodrigue. Inspired by real-life OceanX adventures, these books are perfect for kids ages 8-12 who are interested in becoming the next generation of ocean explorers, leaders, and scientists. "Mystery At The Aquarium" is the first book in the series and a 2024 Green Earth Recommended Read Award.

OceanXplorer is on its way to the Philippines. While out on the open ocean, we recertified our two subs, Nadir and Neptune, and trained more sub pilots. We also made lots of progress on bringing the OceanXplorer to virtual and augmented reality. We did facial motion capture of our crew to create digital characters to add to our 3D model of the ship. We even added more educational content to our 3D dome so people can experience our tender metal shark and our submersible while on a ship tour. Keep an eye on our social media for weekly updates and follow our YouTube for even more OceanX content. As always, stay curious, and keep exploring.

This week has been all about submersibles on OceanXplorer, with two sub dives every day. Our pilots are practicing safety drills underwater, such as what to do if the sub floods while on a dive. Our ROV team has also been training on how to pilot the submersibles themselves. This would potentially give scientists and researchers even more opportunities to go on dives and see the marine life they’ve been studying up close while on OceanXplorer. Keep an eye on our social media for upcoming weekly updates and follow our YouTube channel for even more OceanX content.

After a quick stop in Malaysia, OceanXplorer has headed back out to the open ocean. We’re wrapping up recertification of our submersible, Neptune, with dry testing and wet testing. We’ll be doing lots more submersible dives next week to train more crew on how to pilot the subs. Stay tuned to learn more as we dive into that next week, and as always, stay curious, and keep exploring.

We’re excited to announce a collaboration with the Towards IPOS (International Panel for Ocean Sustainability) - hosted by the Ocean Sustainability Foundation - to advance global efforts toward ocean sustainability. This partnership will develop inclusive, science-based policy support and actionable pathways for governments and global stakeholders. Learn more about how this partnership will address the critical challenges facing our ocean and help to build impact driven solutions: 

Our science submersible, named Neptune, has been off ship in Singapore undergoing its 5 year maintenance. The sub was completely taken apart, inspected, and put back together. Now with Neptune back on board, our sub team is getting ready for our recertification dives. Stay tuned for next week to learn more about those training dives and as always, keep exploring.