OET's 2026 Expedition Season Preview
In 2026, E/V Nautilus will embark on five expeditions across the Central and Western Pacific, from the biodiverse waters of the Hawaiian archipelago to the ancient volcanic depths of the Mariana Islands and beyond. From June through October, we will partner with community and scientific organizations, test new technology, and explore parts of the ocean that have never been seen.
Our data will fill critical gaps in ocean knowledge and support US and international scientific priorities by characterizing the deep ocean’s habitats, biodiversity, bathymetry, and geological formations, including marine critical minerals and the environments where they are found. Join us as we return to the unknown, map seafloor areas for the first time, investigate habitats that have never been documented, and share every discovery live with the world!
Pacific Mapping
Our first expedition of the 2026 season is a seafloor mapping expedition from Hawaiʻi to Guam, where E/V Nautilus will support subsequent expeditions exploring deep-sea habitats around the Mariana Islands.
Deep-Sea Habitats in the Mariana Islands I
This expedition will focus on exploring the Mariana region- one of the ocean's most tectonically and volcanically dynamic locations, marked by the Earth’s deepest oceanic trench, some of the most active submarine volcanoes, and some of the oldest seafloor on the planet.
Deep-Sea Habitats in the Mariana Islands II
In our second expedition of the year in the Mariana region, E/V Nautilus will spend 22-days at sea.
Exploration of Wake Island's Deep Sea
Located roughly midway between the Hawaiian and Mariana Islands, Wake Island is one of the most isolated land masses on Earth. While there have been some recent expeditions to this remote region, the vast majority of the 407,241 square kilometers of seafloor surrounding Wake remains unmapped and uncharacterized, thereby representing one of the most poorly surveyed areas under US jurisdiction.
Deep-Sea Habitats of the Hawaiian Archipelago
Our final OECI-sponsored expedition of 2026 brings E/V Nautilus back to the Hawaiian Islands. While nearshore waters surrounding the islands have been relatively well surveyed, many offshore areas remain completely unexplored, hindering efforts to effectively manage the resources of this unique region.
