Raymarine data to bolster Seabed 2030’s global mapping mission
The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project has entered into a new collaboration with Raymarine, marking another step forward in expanding industry engagement in global ocean mapping. The partnership was introduced during the Ocean Floor Explore symposium in Victoria, Canada – an event hosted by Map the Gaps and COAST that brings together industry, technology partners and philanthropic organizations to share insights and explore ways to accelerate our understanding of the seafloor.
Raymarine, headquartered in Portsmouth, UK, is part of Teledyne FLIR and is recognized for its high-performance marine electronics. Its portfolio spans radar, autopilots, GPS, instruments, fishfinders, communications and integrated navigation systems, serving both recreational boaters and light commercial operators.
Crowdsourced bathymetric data
Seabed 2030, the joint Nippon Foundation-GEBCO effort, aims to deliver a complete, freely available map of the global ocean by 2030. As a UN Ocean Decade-endorsed initiative, it draws on GEBCO’s mandate – through the IHO and IOC – to compile and coordinate ocean floor mapping worldwide.
As part of the collaboration, Raymarine will provide a substantial dataset of crowdsourced bathymetric measurements gathered from thousands of vessels equipped with its sonar systems. Collected through routine, real-world operations across global waters, this dataset offers valuable density and geographic breadth. Its inclusion will strengthen the resolution and coverage of existing seafloor maps, particularly in coastal and offshore areas that remain comparatively under-surveyed.
“We’re proud to support Seabed 2030 in its mission to accelerate the complete mapping of the world’s oceans,” said Grégoire Outters, general manager at Raymarine. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to safer navigation, better science and a more sustainable future for the maritime industry.”
“Raymarine’s contribution of crowdsourced bathymetric data is a powerful example of how industry can accelerate our understanding of the ocean floor,” said Jamie McMichael-Phillips, director of the Seabed 2030 Project. “We welcome their support and look forward to the impact this data will have on our global mapping efforts.”
All data collected and shared with the Seabed 2030 project is included in the free and publicly available GEBCO global grid.
