The OceanX Summit 2026, held in Singapore, convened more than 750 participants, including 223 students and educators, to examine how ocean science, exploration, and conservation can be translated into lasting impact. The three-day event brought together oceanographer Sylvia Earle, filmmaker and deep-sea explorer James Cameron, National Geographic Society CEO Jill Tiefenthaler, and other leaders from science, government, education, and philanthropy. Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong opened the summit, and Minister for Education Desmond Lee addressed the role of ocean exploration in student learning.
A central message was that ocean knowledge has its greatest value when it is shared, understood, and used. Discussions on artificial intelligence highlighted its potential to connect fragmented datasets but also its dependence on high-quality information from underrepresented regions. Sessions on finance and marine protected areas explored how public policy, private-sector expertise, and philanthropic support can work together while keeping coastal communities in view. Mark Dalio emphasized the importance of immersive education, saying it can turn curiosity into a personal connection and help students see how their skills can contribute to ocean science. The summit also connected scientific discovery with international efforts to conserve marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, particularly as countries implement the BBNJ Agreement. The Into the Deep: Monsoon Rise expedition, jointly led by OceanX and the National University of Singapore, mapped more than 8,300 square kilometres of seafloor in the eastern Indian Ocean, with approximately 2,000 specimens now contributing to ongoing biodiversity research. OceanX has committed a significant share of its 2027 expedition time to high seas research. Vincent Pieribone noted that much more ocean data is needed to make informed decisions about stewardship and that science must work with all stakeholders to support lasting protection.
Education and storytelling were also central. Singapore's partnership with OceanX through the Ministry of Education and Science Centre Board has enabled more than 570 students and educators to visit the research vessel OceanXplorer since 2024, while hundreds more have joined ship-to-shore livestreams. The summit featured more than 20 immersive installations developed by OceanX Education and its Changemaker community, demonstrating how art, media, and technology can build understanding. A discussion between Mark Dalio and Anderson Tanoto of Tanoto Foundation highlighted education pathways across Southeast Asia, with nine Tanoto Foundation scholars having participated in OceanX's Young Explorers programme. Local leadership was showcased as well, including Coral Gardeners founder Titouan Bernicot, who described an island-led movement that has grown to 97 full-time employees and planted more than 250,000 corals across French Polynesia, Fiji, and Thailand. The summit's emphasis on connecting evidence with action matters because it signals a shift toward more collaborative, data-driven ocean stewardship at a time when marine ecosystems face mounting pressures. By linking high-seas research commitments with youth education and community-led conservation, the event underscored that effective ocean protection depends on accessible science, innovative storytelling, and inclusive decision-making. For more information, visit www.oceanx.org and follow OceanX on Facebook and Instagram.
