Mapping the ocean floor is one of the great scientific challenges of our time – and it is not achieved by research vessels alone. Achieving full seafloor coverage requires scale, ingenuity and partnerships that rethink where and how data is collected.
That is exactly the approach being taken by The International SeaKeepers Society (SeaKeepers), a proud partner of Seabed 2030, through its leadership role in the 2025-26 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, where sailing yachts competing in a global race are also contributing to the international effort to map the seafloor.
In 2025, SeaKeepers became the Official Ocean Research Partner of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, advancing its mission to transform vessels at sea into platforms for scientific discovery. Through this partnership, SeaKeepers is converting one of the world’s most demanding sailing races into a continuous ocean-mapping effort – delivering new bathymetric data to support Seabed 2030’s goal of a fully mapped ocean floor.
From Racecourse to Research Platform
Ahead of the race start in Gosport, United Kingdom, SeaKeepers UK Chapter led the installation of bathymetric data loggers aboard ten Clipper Race yachts. As these vessels sail more than 40,000 nautical miles around the globe, they are continuously collecting depth data during normal racing operations – without altering the race itself.
This SeaKeepers-led model demonstrates how non-traditional vessels, when equipped with the appropriate sensors and supported by clear data pathways, can meaningfully complement conventional hydrographic surveys and help close critical data gaps in remote regions.
Speaking on the partnership, Georgina Best, Head of Partnerships at Clipper Ventures, noted: “The ocean is our racetrack and safeguarding it is fundamental to everything we do. Partnering with SeaKeepers allows us to turn our race route into something even more meaningful and will be the first time that research of this kind is carried out on such a global scale.”
Early Results at a Global Scale
Just first three legs in the race alone have already delivered substantial contributions:
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- 10 vessels actively collecting data
- 60,000+ data files recorded
- 15 million+ depth soundings captured
- 146,500+ nautical miles mapped
- Over 1 million depth soundings per yacht
- Data recorded across two oceans
- Waters adjacent to four continents documented
SeaKeepers’ involvement extends well beyond the yachts themselves.
As the fleet makes landfall at key ports, SeaKeepers’ international chapters meet crew’s dockside to retrieve datasets, share findings, and strengthen the connection between sailors and scientists.
SeaKeepers’ Data Scientist, Haley Davis, said: “SeaKeepers’ collaboration with Clipper challenges sailors to not just make this a once in a lifetime experience, but make this a First in the World mission to protect the seas. We want this not only to be a force for good within sailing teams, but a force for good for the Ocean.”
Gill Rodrigues, Director of International Relations & the United Kingdom Chapter, added: “The Clipper Round The World Yacht Race provides a truly unique platform for ocean research. This global race is traveling through some of the oceans most remote regions supporting SeaKeepers DISCOVERY programme. It is though large-scale endeavours such as these that we can really understand the power of the citizen scientist and the impact of crowdsourced data collection. It is inspirational to see these courageous racing crews helping to advance ocean research.”
In December, SeaKeepers met the fleet in Fremantle, Australia, to download the data collected to date. The race then continued to Airlie Beach, where SeaKeepers South Pacific, in collaboration with Coral Sea Marina, hosted a Marine Science Evening. During the event, SeaKeepers Data Scientist Haley Davis and Seabed 2030 Head of Engagement and Development Shereen Sharma presented insights from the Seabed 2030 data collected since the race departed the UK.
As the race continues, the fleet will be met by SeaKeepers USA upon arrival in the United States, and again by SeaKeepers UK when the yachts return home – ensuring that datasets are collected consistently throughout the full circumnavigation.
Advancing Seabed 2030 Through Innovation
By embedding scientific data collection into an existing global race, SeaKeepers is demonstrating what is possible when innovation, collaboration, and mission-driven partnerships converge. This project exemplifies how SeaKeepers’ model of activating private and non-traditional vessels can accelerate progress toward Seabed 2030’s shared goal – turning miles sailed into knowledge shared.