July 14, 2025

Seabed 2030: Mapping The Ocean Floor

By Rob Harvey

Over 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by the ocean, but only about a quarter of the seafloor has actually been mapped. That’s going to change, though, thanks to a project called Seabed 2030.

What is Seabed 2030?

The goal of Seabed 2030 is to map every bit of the ocean floor by the year 2030 and share it with the world for free.

This huge project is run by a team called The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO. They’re collecting data from scientists, sailors, underwater robots, and even regular boats to create one giant, ultra-detailed map.

Why Do We Need a Map of the Ocean Floor?

Mapping the seafloor helps us:

Spot dangerous waves like tsunamis before they hit
Protect ocean life, like fish and coral reefs
Understand the planet’s climate
Find sunken ships, underwater mountains, and hidden valleys

Cool Discoveries So Far

Since Seabed 2030 started in 2017, they’ve already gone from just 6% mapped to over 27%. So far, interesting discoveries include:

A deep-sea coral reef with over 83,000 coral mounds
Four gigantic underwater mountains called seamounts
More than 100 new marine species found in one expedition!

How Are They Doing It?

It takes a team effort to explore such a massive space:

Ships use sonar to “ping” the seafloor
Submarines and drones dive deep where humans can’t go
Crowdsourcing lets everyday boats join in by sharing their depth data
Mapping centres around the world collect and combine all the information

Can Kids Help?

Absolutely! You can:

Learn about oceans and share what you discover
Ask questions and stay curious
If your family has a boat, check if it can join the mapping mission

You don’t need diving gear or a submarine to be part of this adventure either. You just need to have an interest in the ocean.

What’s Next?

There’s still a lot of ocean to explore, and every new bit of data helps the world see beneath the waves just a little more clearly.

So the next time you look out at the sea, imagine the secret landscapes below, and the scientists (and maybe future YOU) working to reveal them!