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All life requires a healthy Ocean to survive. 

Our mission is to monitor humanity’s impact on the ocean through dedicated interdisciplinary field expeditions.

RESEARCHPROJECTS

Chesapeake Bay Plastics Project

 ORP's early expeditions laid the groundwork for understanding plastic pollution’s global distribution and abundance with an emphasis in the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic Oceans.  In local waters, ORP addresses the severity of marine debris pollution across Chesapeake Bay from what's afloat at the surface to becoming buried in the bay's bottom sediment. 

Ocean Melting Greenland

Delve into cutting-edge climate research with Ocean Melting Greenland (OMG), where we investigate the profound impacts of warming oceans on Greenland's ice sheet. Join us as we study the dynamics of ocean-terminating glaciers and their contributions to sea level rise, shaping future environmental insights.

GoMarie

Explore the forefront of climate science with GO-MARIE (Glacier-Oceans Mapping & Research Interdisciplinary Effort), as we uncover the mysteries of Greenland’s changing coastal landscapes. Join us in mapping uncharted fjords, studying glacier-ocean interactions, and advancing global understanding of climate change impacts.

Robotic Oceanography

In 2024, during a Office Navy Research mission, the New England Seamount Acoustic Experiment (NESMA), autonomous glider operations were executed onboard SRV Mariet Tharp with glider team from Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences and in conjunction with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Future autonomous instrument observing missions are being planned for GO-MARIE 2025+ and ongoing restoration of a glider is in progress.

GETINVOLVED

Join ORP’s crew as we voyage deep into the ocean, mapping the floor and studying climate change impacts!

Champion scientific exploration under sail and ensure ORP can continue its vital mission. 

Your vessel could play a crucial role in supporting our scientific expeditions and marine research efforts.

Testimonials

“We have worked hard to demonstrate the critical importance of Arctic bathymetry, and particularly the bathymetry around Greenland to our understanding of the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet and its impact on global sea level rise.  Efforts in the GO-MARIE mission are important in helping us fill critical mapping gaps in these polar regions.  ORP’s keen willingness to send the data you collect to Seabed 2030; your mapping efforts have already contributed to the slowly building map of Arctic bathymetry.”

Larry Mayer - Professor and Director, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping
Ocean

Stay Updated with Our Research

You're on board! Thank you for joining us in our mission to explore and protect the ocean.

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