Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, June 17, 2026 — Scientists and conservation specialists from countries of the Caribbean Biological Corridor (CBC), together with leading researchers from Florida International University’s Institute of Environment and other international partners, will take part in the maiden voyage science program of REV Ocean, the world’s largest research and expedition vessel dedicated to ocean science and conservation.
Among the ten partner-led missions selected for the REV Ocean Foundation’s inaugural 2027–2028 research program, two will take place in areas of high strategic importance for the CBC: the Beata Ridge and the Heart of the Caribbean.
The Beata Ridge expedition will support ongoing efforts by the Dominican Republic and Colombia, which have designated marine protected areas in this ecologically significant deep-sea region and are working together to strengthen the effective conservation of its diverse, yet still poorly known, ecosystems. The mission is being planned and coordinated by scientists and specialists from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic, National Natural Parks of Colombia, and the Colombian Institute for Marine Research, INVEMAR, with the participation of experts from other Dominican and Colombian research and conservation organizations.
“The REV expedition to the Beata Ridge is a dream come true. By advancing knowledge, understanding, and mapping of deep-sea ecosystems, it will provide a pivotal foundation for strengthening conservation planning and developing marine regulations that ensure the effective protection of these fragile ecosystems, habitats, and their associated species,” said Jonathan Delance, Chief Conservation Officer for the National 30×30 Program at the Ministry of Environment of the Dominican Republic and one of the leading coordinators of the expedition.
The second mission, known as Heart of the Caribbean, will gather critical scientific information to support proposals for what could become one of the first marine areas in the Atlantic Ocean with a multinational governance system, encompassing deep waters at the eastern end of the Cayman Trench, connecting Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and surrounding islands to the wider Atlantic Ocean.
Florida International University’s Institute of Environment (FIU) will serve as a key scientific partner in the initiative, with Research Assistant Professor Dr. Mark Bond serving as Chief Scientist. Dr. Bond will work alongside Caribbean scientists, the CBC Secretariat, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and the Bimini Biological Field Station to advance research and conservation planning in one of the least-explored regions of the Caribbean.
The scientific framework for this work is being developed with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), contributions from the Government of Norway, and the financial, technical, and organizational support of WCS. This ongoing collaboration is helping the CBC and its partners translate regional conservation priorities into a robust scientific design for deep-sea research, marine spatial planning, and future multinational conservation action.
“The Heart of the Caribbean expedition will serve as an ideal platform to advance one of the CBC’s core priorities: expanding marine conservation to deep-sea and offshore ecosystems,” said Dr. Nicasio Viña, Executive Secretary of the CBC. “It will also reflect the spirit of the CBC by bringing together scientists, conservation practitioners, technical specialists, and government representatives from CBC countries and other partners to strengthen cooperation as an indispensable pathway toward effective conservation and the sustainable use of marine living resources.”
“This expedition opens a rare window into one of the CBC’s most diverse deep-sea marine ecosystems,” added José L. Gerhartz, Senior Conservation Specialist of the CBC Secretariat. “It will provide critical knowledge to guide protection before decisions are made in the dark, helping to address one of the most urgent conservation gaps in the Greater Antilles to make a significant contribution to the global 30×30 ambition: the effective protection of deep-sea ecosystems in remote areas of the islands’ Exclusive Economic Zones.”
Scheduled for 2028, the expeditions in areas of priority interest for the CBC will investigate deep-sea ecosystems, biodiversity, oceanographic processes, and ecological connectivity across the region. Scientists will use REV Ocean’s advanced capabilities to explore seamounts and deep-sea habitats, many of them never studied before, in areas where depths reach up to 5,700 meters.
The research will focus on sharks and rays, marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, and deep-sea biological communities, while generating environmental DNA, oceanographic, microplastic, and high-resolution habitat-mapping data. The findings will help identify ecologically significant areas and inform future marine spatial planning, marine protected area design, and conservation policies across the Caribbean.
The REV missions in the CBC areas also align with global efforts to effectively conserve and manage at least 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030. Beyond their scientific objectives, the expeditions will create opportunities for training, technology transfer, and knowledge exchange among Caribbean researchers, resource managers, and conservation practitioners.
REV Ocean announced its maiden voyage science program during the 2026 Our Ocean Conference in Kenya. The vessel’s inaugural research season will span the South Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Sargasso Sea, and the Eastern Tropical Pacific, supporting marine science, conservation, and policy development through partnerships with leading institutions around the world.
The 195-meter REV Ocean vessel is equipped with nine laboratories, advanced oceanographic instruments, and deep-sea vehicles capable of reaching depths of up to 6,000 meters. Its onboard submersible and remotely operated vehicle carry 4K cameras, sensors, and sampling equipment to study marine life and seafloor ecosystems in some of the most remote parts of the ocean. High-speed satellite connectivity will also enable live communication and streaming from the vessel, including from deep beneath the ocean’s surface.
All ten missions in the maiden voyage program will advance ocean science and support marine protection and policy work, while contributing to the final stage of operational validation before REV transitions to a longer-term open-access research model. Data generated through the science program will be shared through the Ocean Data Platform and other relevant platforms, ensuring that findings remain accessible to partners, policymakers, researchers, and Caribbean institutions after each mission concludes.
About the Caribbean Biological Corridor (CBC)
The Caribbean Biological Corridor is a regional cooperation initiative that promotes the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of biodiversity across the Greater Antilles and the wider Caribbean, fostering collaboration among governments, scientific institutions, communities, and conservation partners.
Caribbean Scientists to Join REV Ocean Maiden Voyage to Advance Deep-Sea Conservation in the Greater Antilles
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, June 2026 — Scientists and conservation specialists from countries of the Caribbean Biological Corridor (CBC), together with leading researchers from Florida International University’s Institute of Environment and other international partners, will take part in the maiden voyage science program of REV Ocean, the world’s largest research and expedition vessel dedicated to ocean science and conservation.
Among the ten partner-led missions selected for the REV Ocean Foundation’s inaugural 2027–2028 research program, two will take place in areas of high strategic importance for the CBC: the Beata Ridge and the Heart of the Caribbean.
The Beata Ridge expedition will support ongoing efforts by the Dominican Republic and Colombia, which have designated marine protected areas in this ecologically significant deep-sea region and are working together to strengthen the effective conservation of its diverse, yet still poorly known, ecosystems. The mission is being planned and coordinated by scientists and specialists from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic, National Natural Parks of Colombia, and the Colombian Institute for Marine Research, INVEMAR, with the participation of experts from other Dominican and Colombian research and conservation organizations.
“The REV expedition to the Beata Ridge is a dream come true. By advancing knowledge, understanding, and mapping of deep-sea ecosystems, it will provide a pivotal foundation for strengthening conservation planning and developing marine regulations that ensure the effective protection of these fragile ecosystems, habitats, and their associated species,” said Jonathan Delance, Chief Conservation Officer for the National 30×30 Program at the Ministry of Environment of the Dominican Republic and one of the leading coordinators of the expedition.
The second mission, known as Heart of the Caribbean, will gather critical scientific information to support proposals for what could become one of the first marine areas in the Atlantic Ocean with a multinational governance system, encompassing deep waters at the eastern end of the Cayman Trench, connecting Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and surrounding islands to the wider Atlantic Ocean.
Florida International University’s Institute of Environment will serve as a key scientific partner in the initiative, with Research Assistant Professor Dr. Mark Bond serving as Chief Scientist. FIU will work alongside CBC country partners, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Bimini Biological Field Station to advance research and conservation planning in one of the least-explored regions of the Caribbean.The scientific framework for the Heart of the Caribbean expedition is being developed with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), financial contributions from the Government of Norway, and the financial, technical, and organizational support of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). This ongoing collaboration is helping the CBC and its partners translate regional conservation priorities into a robust scientific design for deep-sea research, marine spatial planning, and future multinational conservation action
“The Heart of the Caribbean expedition will serve as an ideal platform to advance one of the CBC’s core priorities: expanding marine conservation to deep-sea and offshore ecosystems,” said Dr. Nicasio Viña, Executive Secretary of the CBC. “It will also reflect the spirit of the CBC by bringing together scientists, conservation practitioners, technical specialists, and government representatives from across the Caribbean and beyond to strengthen cooperation for the conservation and sustainable use of marine living resources.”
“This expedition opens a rare window into one of the CBC’s most diverse deep-sea marine ecosystems,” added José L. Gerhartz, Senior Conservation Specialist of the CBC Secretariat. “It will provide critical knowledge to guide protection before decisions are made in the dark, while helping to address one of the most urgent conservation gaps in the Greater Antilles to make a significant contribution to the global 30×30 ambition: the effective protection of deep-sea ecosystems in remoteareas of the islands’ Exclusive Economic Zones.”
Scheduled for 2028, the expeditions in areas of priority interest for the CBC will investigate deep-sea ecosystems, biodiversity, oceanographic processes, and ecological connectivity across the region. Scientists will use REV’s advanced capabilities to explore seamounts and deep-sea habitats, many of them never studied before, in areas where depths reach up to 5,700 meters.
The research will focus on sharks and rays, marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, and deep-sea biological communities, while generating environmental DNA, oceanographic, microplastic, and high-resolution habitat-mapping data. The findings will help identify ecologically significant areas and inform future marine spatial planning, marine protected area design, and conservation policies across the Caribbean.
The REV missions in the CBC areas also align with global efforts to effectively conserve and manage at least 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030. Beyond their scientific objectives, the expeditions will create opportunities for training, technology transfer, and knowledge exchange among Caribbean researchers, resource managers, and conservation practitioners.
REV Ocean announced its maiden voyage science program during the 2026 Our Ocean Conference in Kenya. The vessel’s inaugural research season will span the South Atlantic, Caribbean, Sargasso Sea, and Eastern Tropical Pacific, supporting marine science, conservation, and policy development through partnerships with leading institutions around the world.
The 195-meter REV Ocean’s ship is equipped with nine laboratories, advanced oceanographic instruments, and deep-sea vehicles capable of reaching depths of up to 6,000 meters. Its onboard submersible and remotely operated vehicle carry 4K cameras, sensors, and sampling equipment to study marine life and seafloor ecosystems in some of the most remote parts of the ocean. High-speed satellite connectivity will also enable live communication and streaming from the ship, including from deep beneath the ocean’s surface.All ten missions in the maiden voyage program will advance ocean science and support marine protection and policy work, while contributing to the final stage of operational validation before REV transitions to a longer-term open-access research model. Data generated through the science program will be shared through the Ocean Data Platform and other relevant platforms, ensuring that findings remain accessible to partners, policymakers, researchers, and Caribbean institutions after each mission concludes.
About the Caribbean Biological Corridor (CBC)
The Caribbean Biological Corridor is a regional cooperation initiative that promotes the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of biodiversity across the Greater Antilles and the wider Caribbean, fostering collaboration among governments and scientific institutions.
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