While most think of deserts when they hear "Saudi Arabia," a wave of blue is rising from the Kingdom and it's called OceanQuest.

This remarkable non-profit marine science foundation, born at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, is diving deep into uncharted waters to protect the oceans. Their mission? To champion marine conservation through technology, human collaboration, and exploration, all without seeking profit.

At the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, OceanQuest made waves. Through its groundbreaking Around Africa Expedition, it proved that science, education, and empathy are the real tools for change in our rapidly warming world.

Deep Dives & Discoveries: A Quest Around Africa’s Blue Heart!

OceanQuest, in alliance with OceanX, undertook a dazzling journey circling Africa’s shores with more than 200 port stops and 16 onboard African scientists. From helicopter megafauna surveys to plunging over 1,000 meters underwater, the crew mapped the mysterious seabeds near Nola Seamounts and Santo Antao Island, spending 53 hours beneath the surface, collecting nearly 90 deep-sea samples, and covering over 922 nautical miles by air. 

These explorations led to the discovery of new seamounts, vital for marine biodiversity and sustainable fisheries. Every sample collected and every meter mapped brings us closer to understanding and preserving life beneath the waves, where giants swim and ecosystems thrive unseen.

Currents of Change: Empowering Africa’s Ocean Guardians!

OceanQuest believes that saving oceans means uplifting people. In partnership with African institutions like the University of Cape Town and the South African National Biodiversity Institute, they trained 24 early-career African scientists in cutting-edge techniques like seafloor mapping, environmental DNA analysis, and deep-sea sampling. 

As OceanQuest CEO Martin Visbeck puts it, “We’re building a foundation for Africa’s long-term leadership in ocean science.” By focusing on inclusive, human-centered conservation, the expedition showed that young minds, when trained, can become the stewards of tomorrow’s seas.

The Ocean Is Calling: A Global Quest for Coexistence!

From the Red Sea to the high seas, OceanQuest is not just charting the ocean floor; it's redrawing the future of global cooperation. With the world facing marine threats like climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing, OceanQuest’s model stands as a beacon of hope. 

As countries move to ratify the High Seas Treaty, Visbeck reminds us: “We fight ignorance with information. Once people know, they care, and then they act.”

If Saudi Arabia can lead the charge, India and its youth can be next. Because the ocean belongs to no one, and yet, to all of us. Let’s preserve our blue!