Global Research Vessel Database
Creating a Global Interactive Database of Research Vessels, Specialized Ocean Science Equipment, and Humanitarian Aid Rapid-Response Vessels.
Connecting these Assets to and Helping Coordinate Efforts of the Global Ocean Science and Humanitarian Aid Communities.
For decades the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) funded OCEANIC, The Ocean Information Center, a searchable database of science cruise schedules, ship specifications, and operators of research vessels world-wide, previously maintained at the University of Delaware. Unfortunately, funding was cut, and this database has been dormant for more than five years. Recognizing the heightened importance of having this knowledge base of all large research vessels around the world, Greenwater Foundation will resuscitate this legacy database and further extend its online matching capabilities for the ocean science community.
Monitoring and evaluating the connection between the ocean and climate, the dispersal and impact of marine debris and micro-plastics, human impacts in coastal zones, seafood and marine product production, and the discovery of new marine species and biomedical applications all continue as fields of research, but researchers struggle to find the maritime vessels to allow them to do all of the research needed to make progress in these fields.
To address the shortage of research vessels and specialized equipment required for ocean research, humanitarian aid response, and education, Greenwater Foundation (GF) will catalogue platform assets and maintain an online database to facilitate operator and customer engagement which will connect scientists and responders with the equipment they need to conduct their work.
Solution
- Greenwater Foundation will provide an innovative one-stop shop available to the public, where interested parties can identify and match at-sea assets anywhere in the world to their needs.
Implementation
- Identify available assets around the world to facilitate and coordinate their use in ocean science and humanitarian rapid response.
- Maintain global database and provide functional modules to support communication, engagement and reference to the marketplace.
Our Team
Co-founder and Chair, Commander G. Mark Miller, NOAA (Ret.)
Co-founder and Executive Director, Meg Ruxton
Advisor, Allen Shimada (after 1/3/2024): https://www.linkedin.com/in/allen-shimada-a8280531/
Advisor, Doug White: Developed the original OCEANIC website and database at www.researchvessels.org
Database and Software Developer, Wei Qiu: Led software development of the VPASS database used by NOAA’s fleet of research vessels. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov
Donate funds – click on the DONATE NOW payment button or provide funding through other resources using the following information: Greenwater Foundation, 104 N. Galveston Street, Arlington, VA 22203, EIN 92-1056279, contact person Meg Ruxton, Executive Director, info@greenwaterfoundation.org.
Donate vessels – send a message with information about the vessel and your contact information. A Greenwater Foundation representative will respond about the next steps for the donation of your vessel.
Greenwater Foundation is exempt from federal income tax under IRC Section 501(c)(3).
Donors can deduct contributions they make under IRC Section 170.
Greenwater Foundation is qualified to received tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under Section 2055, 2106, or 2522.