Vision and Mission

GO-SHIP brings together scientists with interests in physical oceanography, the carbon cycle, marine biogeochemistry and ecosystems, and other users and collectors of hydrographic data to develop a globally coordinated network of sustained hydrographic sections as part of the global ocean/climate observing system. International GO-SHIP mission statement

Vision of U.S. GO-SHIP

Long-term, highly accurate in situ observations of these ocean climate components, both physical and biogeochemical, are essential, in conjunction with observations collected by other means and with complementary sampling strategies, so that climate and associated biogeochemical changes can be tracked with enough parameters and spatial coverage to constrain state estimation and inform predictive modeling of Earth’s climate.

Mission of U.S. GO-SHIP

To provide global measurements of the highest required accuracy, covering the ocean basins from coast to coast and top to bottom, with approximately decadal resolution of the changes in inventories of heat, freshwater, carbon, oxygen, nutrients and transient tracers.


View of research vessel from water level.