OceanX Joins The Pink Flamingo Society

An international fleet of oceanographic research vessels philanthropically funded 

The United Nations has declared a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to protect the Ocean’s health. Ambitious goals have been set to advance marine science, including supporting scientific expeditions through investments, technological development, public engagement, etc.

A philanthropically funded fleet of oceanographic data collectors has joined together,  called the Pink Flamingo Society. By joining forces, this group of foundations shares experiences and knowledge to make the most of its vessels for ocean exploration and international research, contributing to open-source and FAIR data.

The cost of ocean exploration
Despite the critical importance of ocean exploration and research, the field remains significantly underfunded, receiving at least two orders of magnitude less funding than space exploration. This lack of financial support has made it difficult for ocean research to reach its full potential. Compounding the challenge, the technologies required for deep-sea exploration, such as submersibles, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and oceanographic vessels, are costly. Furthermore, all research is a long-term investment, often taking years to process samples, analyze data, and publish findings. These factors make funding ocean exploration a slow and complex process.

Faced with these challenges, a group of forward-thinking philanthropic foundations has pooled their resources, knowledge, and voices to maximize their impact on ocean exploration and research.

Unity is strength - The Pink Flamingo Story
The unique name of the Pink Flamingo Society stems from an unexpected discovery made by the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI). During an expedition, SOI’s remotely operated vehicle, SuBastian, was exploring a deep-sea site that they thought was a newly discovered site. However, their excitement was quickly diminished when they found a pink flamingo statuette—a site marker left behind by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute when they visited sites to indicate the location. The team on board SOI’s vessel was surprised: How could they not have known another vessel had visited this site many years ago? Thus, the Pink Flamingo Society was born as a forum for information exchange among philanthropically supported vessels engaged in active oceanographic data collection for research and education purposes. The group came together to establish collaboration and follow common principles for the open sharing of their results.

A United Voice for Ocean Advocacy
The Pink Flamingo Society’s main goal is to unite stakeholders committed to ocean research. This collaboration allows members to share crucial information, such as:

●      Study sites

●      Navigation routes

●      Port logistics

●      Research permit applications

●      Data management systems

Additionally, the Society seeks to amplify its collective voice on important ocean issues.

Member organizations hail from around the globe, including Inkfish, International SeaKeepers Society - Discovery Yachts Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Monaco Explorations, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Ocean Exploration Trust, OceanX, OceanQuest, REV Ocean, Schmidt Ocean Institute, Tara Ocean Foundation, TBA-21 Academy, Voice of the Ocean, and the Waitt Foundation.

OceanX in The Pink Flamingo Society

Built to push the limits of exploration, discovery, and storytelling, the OceanXplorer vessel is a platform driving ocean progress. Through the Pink Flamingo Society, OceanX underscores that ocean exploration is more than science, it’s a shared responsibility. Together with fellow members, we believe in delivering acessible data, share best practices, and advocate for greater global investment in ocean science.