NOAA, Proteus Ocean Group to explore uses of groundbreaking underwater lab
State-of-the-art “underwater habitat” will allow governments, academia and public sector to deepen understanding of the ocean environment
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Proteus Ocean Group announced during early May 2023 that the two organizations have signed a formal agreement to use the “underwater space station of the ocean,” PROTEUS™, to advance marine science, research and education.
Together, NOAA and Proteus Ocean Group seek to develop a deeper understanding of the ocean environment and reveal solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing concerns, including those related to climate change.
PROTEUS™, the first underwater site of this stature, is set to be built and will be located off the Caribbean island of Curaçao. It will serve as an underwater habitat where scientists, innovators, private citizens, the public sector and global customers can live underwater to study the ocean environment for extended periods of time. In addition to state-of-the-art scientific laboratories, living quarters, and an underwater garden for food production, PROTEUS™ will include a full-scale video production facility to provide live streaming for research and educational programming.
“This partnership has the potential to greatly expand our capabilities in studying the ocean,” said Jeremy Weirich, the director of NOAA Ocean Exploration. “By living underwater for extended periods in this new ocean laboratory, we’ll be able to unlock the ocean’s mysteries so that we can better manage, sustainably use, protect and appreciate its resources.”
Under the new cooperative research and development agreement, NOAA and Proteus Ocean Group will work together to identify opportunities for research using the unique capabilities of PROTEUS™. NOAA will provide access to scientific experts, vessels and other technology, expedition plans and mission results relevant to PROTEUS™ activities, as well as access to shoreside facilities and programs throughout the agency’s mission portfolios of the ocean, weather, climate and coastal science. Proteus Ocean Group will share data and insights related to the development phase of the underwater habitat.
Fabien Cousteau, founder and Chief Oceanic Explorer of Proteus Ocean Group said, “On PROTEUS™ we will have unbridled access to the ocean 24/7, making possible long-term studies with continuous human observation and experimentation. With NOAA’s collaboration, the discoveries we can make — in relation to climate refugia, super corals, life-saving drugs, micro environmental data tied to climate events and many others — will be truly groundbreaking. We look forward to sharing those stories with the world.”
The partners may undertake joint expeditions, exchange personnel and share methods of operation related to missions to study the ocean environment. They will also work together to communicate their activities to increase public engagement in marine science.
The agreement supports the goals of both partners to better understand the impacts of climate change on the ocean, increase public engagement in ocean exploration and improve decisions related to ecosystem health and resilience.
Fabien Cousteau’s PROTEUS™, a Revolutionary Underwater Scientific Research Station and Habitat Addressing Humanity’s Most Critical Concerns
In July 2020, renowned aquanaut, Ocean explorer and environmentalist Fabien Cousteau–grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau—announced his vision for PROTEUS™, the world’s most advanced underwater scientific research station and habitat to address humanity’s most critical concerns: medicinal discoveries, food sustainability, and the impacts of climate change.
According to Encyclopedia Brittannica, “Proteus” in Greek mythology was the prophetic old man of the sea and shepherd of the sea’s flocks (e.g., seals). He was subject to the sea god Poseidon, and his dwelling place was either the island of Pharos, near the mouth of the Nile River, or the island of Carpathus, between Crete and Rhodes.
A project of the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center (FCOLC), PROTEUS™ is conceived as the underwater version of the International Space Station; it will be a platform for global collaboration amongst the world’s leading researchers, academics, government agencies, and corporations to advance science to benefit the future of the planet.
“As our life support system, the Ocean is indispensable to solving the planet’s biggest problems. Challenges created by climate change, rising sea levels, extreme storms and viruses represent a multi-trillion-dollar risk to the global economy. PROTEUS™, contemplated as the first in a network of underwater habitats, is essential to driving meaningful solutions to protect the future of our planet. The knowledge that will be uncovered underwater will forever change the way generations of humans live up above,” said Cousteau.
Proposed as the largest and most technologically advanced underwater station ever built, PROTEUS™ will grant scientists and aquanauts the time to conduct continuous night and day diving and data collection. PROTEUS™ will enable the discovery of new species of marine life, create a better understanding of how climate change affects the Ocean, and allow for testing of advanced technologies for green power, aquaculture and robotic exploration.
Onsite labs will facilitate processing of organic samples that can be studied in real time, rather than the specimens rapidly degrading or dying during the arduous journey to the surface. On-premise experimentation results in an enhanced pipeline to support the development of new treatments for cancer, antibiotics, and vaccines, and much more.
“Living underwater gives the gift of time and the incredible perspective of being a resident on the reef. You’re not just a visitor anymore,” said Sylvia Earle, legendary marine biologist, explorer and Ocean Ambassador of the FCOLC.
PROTEUS™ will be located off of Curaçao, at a depth of 60 feet (3 atmospheres), in richly biodiverse marine-protected water.
Dr. I.S (Steven) Martina, Minister of Economic Development for Curaçao, stated: “We are delighted to be home to PROTEUS™. Our incredible Caribbean Sea holds immense riches yet to be fully discovered. The economic potential of having the first underwater space station located in Curaçao’s waters is enormous, from job creation to tourism.”
PROTEUS™ will also feature a full-scale video production facility to provide continuous live streaming for educational programming.
PROTEUS™’s strategic partners include Northeastern University, Rutgers University, and CARMABI. The initial concept design of PROTEUS™ has been co-conceived by renowned industrial designer, Yves Béhar and his firm, fuseproject.
Concept renderings can be found HERE.
About PROTEUS™
Proteus Ocean Group Ltd. is developing PROTEUS™, the world’s most advanced underwater station, built to enable research seeking to address the most pressing issues the Earth faces. The multi-purpose marine platform will feature an onsite observatory, state-of-the-art research lab and habitat to facilitate life and work at depth. Accessible to academia, government, private industry, media and tourists, PROTEUS™ will also be essential to education and the advancement of marine research and development to drive disruptive scientific breakthroughs across areas including medicine, genetics, sustainable energy and food cultivation.
For additional information visit: proteusoceangroup.com.
About NOAA
Climate, weather and water affect all life on our ocean planet. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America’s coastal and marine resources.
See how NOAA science, services, and stewardship benefit your community. Visit noaa.gov for our latest news and features, and join us on social media.
Guice Offshore Vessels Work With Scientific and Government Researchers; Even Documentary Filmmakers
Guice Offshore (“GO”)’s fleet is regularly employed in a variety of support roles including ocean science research and development, and other special projects requiring top-of-the-line, highly dependable offshore support vessels. Our multi-purpose vessel GO America, based in Port Everglades, Florida, operates in conjunction with our partners Global SubDive to support a large array of science and research projects, often utilizing GSD submarines and ROVs. Similarly, partner Ryan Marine is an expert in the field of unmanned vehicle operation, which allows us to provide turnkey AUV and UUV services anywhere in the United States and Caribbean.
Guice Offshore vessels like the 150 ft. DP1 GO Liberty or the 170 ft. DP1 GO Discovery are often used by geotechnical and other types of companies to perform detailed survey activities such as seabed mapping, soil investigations and core sampling. Depending on their equipment installed, our vessels can work in a variety of coastal or offshore environments and water depths. The open cargo deck, ample accommodations, excellent maneuverability and station-keeping, all coupled with an efficient cost of operations, makes the Guice Offshore fleet a consistently reliable choice for those needing an offshore supply vessel or marine transport.
For researchers looking to document their missions, Guice Offshore vessels also support movie and television productions, whose crew needs capable vessels like ours to film scenes, house crews or transport between sets. Our vessels have participated in the filming of feature films movies Deepwater Horizon and Isolation. GO America was also supporting actor in the TV series Cooper’s Treasure Season 2 and Shark Week’s “Tiger Shark King” episode. GO vessels have even been mentioned on national news programs for their participation in life-saving rescues or other offshore recovery missions. With our partners, submarines and ROVs can be provided to assist with underwater cinematography
