Join the Fleet for the Future
Major initiatives to strengthen ocean observations - which are vital for weather forecasts, climate monitoring and shipping routes - have been unveiled at the UN Ocean Summit in Nice as part of a wider drive to protect ocean health and safety at sea.
The ocean covers over 70% of our planet - yet vast areas remain under-observed and there are increasing gaps in the Global Ocean Observing System.
A new campaign by OceanOps – supported by the World Meteorological Organization, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the International Maritime Organization _ seeks to change that.
The 10,000 Ships in the Ocean initiative aims to increase commercial ships participation in the Global Ocean Observing System tenfold, reaching 10 000 vessels providing real-time weather and surface ocean data.
This is coupled with a call to strengthen the Argo system of robotic ocean floats to observe and monitor the ocean interior.
Together, these initiatives will feed into registry of voluntary commitments which are part of the so-called Nice Ocean Action Plan to conserve and sustainably use the ocean in support of Sustainable Development Goal 14 on life above and below the water.
Better data coverage for better weather and ocean forecasts
The ocean is changing fast — warming, rising, acidifying, and becoming less predictable. For global shipping, that means growing risks, operational uncertainty, and rising costs. For society, it threatens prosperity and security and has major implications for our climate.
Real-time ocean and weather data have never been more valuable — enabling safe navigation, efficient routing, and smarter decisions at sea and on land.
“The "eyes" of thousands of observing platforms feed weather forecasts, early warnings and climate prediction. They are critical to monitor ocean health and our changing climate. They also ensure safe navigation and efficient routing. Better forecasts and better decision-making depend on robust data. This is a Must,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo told a high-level panel on the opening day of the Ocean Summit on 9 June.
10,000 Ships in the Ocean
A high-level event organized by OceanOps on 13 June launched a major new 10,000 Ships in the Ocean initiative to forge a global coalition to expand ship-based observations and so advance maritime safety, ocean intelligence, and environmental stewardship.
“We need to up-scale our ship-based observing system and build on the long tradition of mariners in sharing weather and ocean information for the common good”, says Mathieu Belbéoch, OceanOPS Manager. “The world shipping leaders, such as MSC, will help us to reach that ambition.”
For over a century, commercial ships have been collecting vital weather and ocean data, enhancing safety, forecasts, and climate understanding. There are currently more than 1,000 Voluntary Observing Ships.
But this is literally a drop in the ocean given that tens of thousands of commercial ships cross the high seas.
Worse still, participation is declining – part of a picture of widening gaps in the global ocean observing system.
The high-level event will issue a joint statement, laying out concrete commitments to achieve the UN Decade’s 2030 vision for ship-based observations and calling on the entire shipping industry to step up for Sustainable Development Goals.
Why this matters
- Improved forecasting: Real-time met-ocean data improves short-to-long-range ocean and weather forecasting, supports early warnings, and helps optimize ship routing, safety, and fuel efficiency.
- No ocean observing without ships: The ocean is vast, and effective observation relies on the availability of vessels. The shipping industry is uniquely positioned to support a largescale infrastructure for ocean monitoring.
- A mutually beneficial public-private partnership: Shipping is both a major user and potential provider of ocean data. Codesigning the system ensures it serves both science and operations.
- Environmental stewardship: Participating companies lead in sustainability, champion the Blue Economy, and uphold their responsibility to the ocean and future generations.
- Strategic resilience in a changing digital world: As public ocean science funding tightens, a diversified and resilient investment model is critical. Private sector leadership will shape the future of ocean intelligence
OneArgo
A major contributor to ocean observations is the Argo program, with nearly 4,000 robotic floats which drift along with ocean currents and collect information from inside the ocean on temperature, salinity etc. Over the past 25 years, Argo has revolutionized ocean science, monitoring changes in ocean heat, sea-level rise, and circulation while improving climate and weather forecasts.
A new OneArgo target announced at the Ocean Summit envisions increasing the number of floats to 4700 floats by 2030. It aims to:
- Improve short-range and seasonal forecasts, enhancing predictions of extreme events such as marine heatwaves, low-oxygen episodes, and coastal flooding.
- Deepen our understanding of climate change impacts, including ocean warming, deoxygenation, acidification, carbon storage, and the potential anthropogenic effects.
- Deliver essential data to monitor ocean health and biodiversity.
“Without Argo’s global subsurface ocean data, we are effectively flying blind when it comes to forecasting extreme weather events and understanding seasonal climate variations, said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
“Argo provides the critical data beneath the surface that satellites can’t reach. Sustained investment in OneArgo isn’t just important — it’s indispensable for protecting lives, economies, and ecosystems.”
