Director of Surveys Weldon Maritim (left) with Seabed 2030 Project Director Jamie McMichael-Phillips
London, 27 February 2025 – The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Survey of Kenya Hydrographic Office, further strengthening efforts to achieve a fully mapped ocean floor by 2030.
This collaboration will enhance the availability of hydrographic data, supporting marine research, environmental conservation, and sustainable development.
As Kenya’s national hydrographic authority, the Survey of Kenya Hydrographic Office plays a critical role in producing and maintaining nautical charts and hydrographic data to ensure safe navigation and informed marine spatial planning. Through this partnership, the Office will contribute valuable bathymetric data, helping to fill gaps in seabed knowledge and supporting Seabed 2030’s global ocean mapping mission.
Seabed 2030 is a collaborative project between The Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO), which seeks to inspire the complete mapping of the world’s ocean by 2030, and to compile all the data into the freely available GEBCO Ocean Map. The Project is formally endorsed as a Decade Action of the UN Ocean Decade. GEBCO is a joint programme of the IHO and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), and is the only organisation with a mandate to map the entire ocean floor.
Jamie McMichael-Phillips, Project Director of Seabed 2030, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Survey of Kenya Hydrographic Office as our latest partner. Hydrographic data is critical to ocean science, maritime safety, and sustainable development. By working together, we are strengthening global efforts to build a comprehensive map of the seafloor that will support a range of scientific, environmental, and economic applications.”
Director of Surveys Weldon Maritim added: “We are proud to collaborate with Seabed 2030 in the effort to complete the mapping of the world’s ocean floor. Hydrographic data is essential to Kenya’s maritime sector, and through this partnership, we will contribute valuable insights to enhance global ocean knowledge while supporting national and regional marine initiatives.”
All data collected and shared through this partnership will be included in the free and publicly available GEBCO global grid, benefiting scientific research, environmental conservation, and sustainable development worldwide.
ENDS
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Pegah Souri
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