52Deep

NICE, FRANCE

2021 UN Ocean Conference
june 2021

Turning the Tide Together

Momentum through science, education, and partnership for the ocean we share

In June 2021, global leaders, scientists, and educators gathered in Nice for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference. During the week, nineteen countries advanced the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement), marking important momentum in safeguarding the largest shared ecosystem on Earth.

52Deep helped bring science and education into the heart of these conversations. The 52Deep Explorer became a living laboratory for collaboration as partners came aboard to explore how knowledge can support a sustainable ocean future. In the UN Blue Zone, Co-CEO and Chief Science Officer Dr Vincent Pieribone emphasized that open data and shared scientific capability enable all nations to engage fully in ocean governance. In the UN Green Zone, he reached public audiences with why the ocean shapes climate, food security, and life on Earth. Nearby, the Deep Blue Pavilion, created with MBARI, Schmidt Ocean Institute, and WHOI, revealed the deep ocean through immersive storytelling rooted in science.

As the week unfolded, the vessel hosted dialogue, showcased technology, and strengthened partnerships that carry discovery into action. By year end, the Treaty reached the threshold for entry into force in 2026, proof that as collaboration grows, so does hope for a sustainable ocean future.

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Around Africa

Around Africa Expedition
Dec 2024 - Apr 2021

Africa’s Ocean Leaders of Tomorrow

Hands-on discovery inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards

From the Mozambique Channel to Cabo Verde, the Around Africa Expedition, in collaboration with OceanQuest, advanced deep-ocean science while creating opportunities for emerging talent across the continent. Researchers from thirty-one countries joined the voyage, working alongside African and international experts aboard the 52Deep Explorer to investigate some of the region’s least-studied seamount systems. Across multiple sites, teams mapped complex geological structures, documented coral and sponge communities, and gathered biodiversity and oceanographic data that help explain how these seamounts shape ecosystem productivity and connectivity along Africa’s coasts.

52Deep helped bring the deep ocean within reach for those who will shape its future. Early-career participants gained their first experience at sea, while principal investigators and regional specialists contributed expertise that strengthened the scientific output and supported skill development across the cohort. The mission showed how shared access to advanced technology and collaborative fieldwork reinforce scientific networks and build capability for the long term.

Recognized as an endorsed UN Ocean Decade Action, the expedition reflects 52Deep’s commitment to advancing science and supporting the people who will drive Africa’s ocean future. By investing in both knowledge and leadership, the mission helped inspire a new generation who will carry forward efforts to understand and protect Africa’s ocean.

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Cabo Verde Archipelago

Cabo Verde Archipelago
July 2021

Technology Strengthening Stewardship

AI-enabled research opening new pathways for deep-ocean understanding worldwide

Led jointly by 52Deep and Cabo Verde’s Instituto do Mar, Digital Deep advanced artificial intelligence to support deep-ocean research and conservation planning in the Nola Seamount region. Working across the seamounts near Santo Antão and São Vicente, the team focused on habitats that shape biodiversity, fisheries, and ecosystem resilience throughout the surrounding waters.

Using imaging, eDNA sampling, and oceanographic data, scientists trained SeaSwipe, an onboard AI system that helps recognize patterns in ROV footage and identify where vulnerable marine communities may be found. These insights contribute to the development of a Digital Twin of the seamounts, a dynamic model designed to help visualize habitats in three dimensions and inform future decisions that support ecosystem health.

The mission also advanced local capability in ocean technology. Cabo Verdean researchers worked hands-on with AI-driven tools aboard the 52Deep Explorer, gaining experience that will support continued study and stewardship of these waters. Collaboration between scientific expertise and emerging technology demonstrated an evolving approach to accelerating discovery and understanding of the deep ocean.

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Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean
October 2021

Cooperation Beyond Borders

Strengthening regional networks through joint exploration and shared data

In October 2021, 52Deep and the National University of Singapore co-led Into the Deep: Monsoon Rise, a breakthrough expedition bringing researchers from across Southeast Asia and the Pacific into the High Seas. The mission reflected the cooperation envisioned under the BBNJ Agreement, strengthening regional capability to study and protect the ocean beyond national borders.

Using advanced mapping and imaging technology, the team revealed previously uncharted seamounts and documented ecosystems shaped by coral, sponges, and the remarkable species that depend on them. These deep habitats influence biodiversity and resilience across the region. Advancing knowledge about them supports informed conservation for generations ahead.

The mission’s greatest achievement was how it worked. Scientists, engineers, and storytellers from five countries across Southeast Asia and the Pacific trained together, exchanged methods, and built trust that will support future research across borders. Aboard the 52Deep Explorer, discovery moved forward through shared expertise and regional leadership, proving that collaboration creates the strongest foundation for ocean science.

With these partnerships in place, future deep-ocean research can advance faster and more effectively, strengthening the long-term stewardship that a healthy and resilient ocean requires.

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Timor Passage, Timor-Leste

Timor Passage, Timor-Leste
November 2021

Uncovering the Edge of the Coral Triangle

Science and collaboration will guide new protections for Timor-Leste’s ocean

In November 2021, 52Deep joined the Government of Timor-Leste and international partners including KAUST, the University of Western Australia, and the University of Florida to study one of the Coral Triangle’s least-explored frontiers—the Timor Passage. Aboard the 52Deep Explorer, scientists mapped deep-sea habitats, surveyed biodiversity, and studied whale migration to build a fuller picture of this vital marine corridor.

The expedition delivered Timor-Leste’s first integrated dataset on its deep and coastal ecosystems, documenting coral gardens, sponge communities, and migratory pygmy blue whales. These findings provide new baseline knowledge that can inform future conservation priorities and spatial planning decisions in Timor-Leste.

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Beyond data, the mission strengthened Timor-Leste’s scientific capacity and regional collaboration through training and open research exchange. By pairing exploration with the government’s policy objectives, Exploring the Edge demonstrated how knowledge can directly support conservation, ensuring the Coral Triangle’s extraordinary biodiversity is protected for generations to come.

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Multiple Locations
June 2021

Turning Curiosity into Creation

Blending creativity, technology, and storytelling to help more people connect with the deep ocean

When scientists collaborate with creatives, new ways of learning emerge. This year, 52Deep launched the 52Deep Hackathons aboard the 52Deep Explorer to bring researchers together with designers, educators, and technologists and imagine how more people can experience the ocean for themselves.

Teams worked with real data and imagery from 52Deep missions to build early prototypes that turned complex science into interactive exploration. One idea, later developed into the DataXplorer project, transformed eDNA datasets into a visual tool that lets audiences compare species and environments. The concept is now being shaped into an immersive installation for ArtScience Museum (ASM) Singapore, showing how a single hackathon idea can grow into a public education experience.

Other teams explored new ways to translate mapping, imagery, and vessel data into interactive stories that could support future learning platforms. Their early concepts informed several tools now in development for ASM and for classroom use, reinforcing 52Deep Education’s aim to expand access to the deep ocean. This first wave of collaboration introduced new approaches, encouraged creative problem-solving, and set the stage for continued partnerships that will help more people understand and engage with ocean discovery.

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Singapore

Singapore
October 2021

A Blueprint for Ocean Progress

Advancing shared vision and leadership for the ocean’s future

The inaugural 52Deep Summit brought leaders from science, technology, philanthropy, education, and the arts together to explore how creative collaboration can accelerate progress for the ocean. Hosted aboard the 52Deep Explorer, the gathering blended demonstrations, interactive experiences, and focused dialogue to imagine new pathways for ocean understanding and impact.

Throughout the Summit, participants engaged directly with immersive storytelling tools and new media developed through 52Deep Education. A highlight was the debut of Seagrass Stories, an interactive experience created by 52Deep’s first Education Resident, Nada Abdelkader. Her work demonstrated how scientific knowledge and creative design can translate ocean concepts into compelling public engagement.

The 52Deep–Pioneer Works Digital Artist Residency advanced plans for artist–scientist collaboration. 52Deep Education and OceanQuest agreed to expand their joint programming for young and early-career professionals. Partners also expressed early support for the Ocean Futures Fellowship, a new pathway designed to prepare emerging innovators for leadership roles across ocean science, media, and conservation.

The event showed how shared ideas and cross-disciplinary expertise can shape practical next steps. By linking creativity, scientific insight, and educational opportunity, the Summit set a strong foundation for continued collaboration. From Singapore, partners are now building on concepts sparked aboard the 52Deep Explorer, developing new projects designed to help humanity and the ocean thrive together.

52Deep 2021 in review

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52Deep 2021 in review

Dive into

the Unknown

OUR PARTNERS

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Across 2021, 52Deep brought scientists, educators, and innovators together to explore the unknown — from Africa’s deep-sea frontiers to the Coral Triangle’s vibrant reefs. Dive in and relive the moments when curiosity turned into connection, and discovery into lasting ocean impact.

52Deep

Turning the Tide Together

Momentum through science, education, and partnership for the ocean we share

Africa’s Ocean Leaders of Tomorrow

Hands-on discovery inspiring the next generation of ocean stewards

Technology Strengthening Stewardship

AI-enabled research opening new pathways for deep-ocean understanding worldwide

Cooperation Beyond Borders

Strengthening regional networks through joint exploration and shared data

Uncovering the Edge of the Coral Triangle

Science and collaboration will guide new protections for Timor-Leste’s ocean

Turning Curiosity into Creation

Blending creativity, technology, and storytelling to help more people connect with the deep ocean

A Blueprint for Ocean Progress

Advancing shared vision and leadership for the ocean’s future

Dive into

the Unknown

United Nations Ocean Conference

UNOC3, a Tide of Progress

Around Africa Expedition

Africa’s Ocean Leaders of Tomorrow

Cabo Verde: Digital Deep

Technology Strengthening Stewardship

Into the Deep: Monsoon Rise

Cooperation Beyond Borders

Exploring The Edge: The Timor Passage

Uncovering the Edge of the Coral Triangle

52Deep Hackathon

Turning Curiosity into Creation

52Deep Summit 2021

A Blueprint for Ocean Progress