NOAA to Map Deep Waters Off Cook Islands in 28-Day Expedition Targeting Polymetallic Nodule Environments

NOAA Ocean Exploration will conduct a 28-day expedition aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in July and August 2026 to map, explore, and characterise deep waters off the Cook Islands, in partnership with the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority. Using remotely operated vehicles, mapping technologies, and onsite sensors, the team will explore abyssal plains and the Manihiki Plateau, collecting imaging and sampling data on seabed and water column environments across multiple deep-ocean habitat types.

 

Strategic Significance of the Expedition

 

The Cook Islands expedition occupies a commercially and geopolitically significant position at the intersection of scientific ocean exploration, marine critical minerals development, and international partnership. The Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone contains significant concentrations of polymetallic nodules, which have drawn growing attention from governments and industry as potential sources of the manganese, cobalt, nickel, and copper needed for battery technology and clean energy supply chains. The partnership between NOAA and the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority reflects both the scientific value of baseline environmental data and the strategic importance of supporting Pacific Island nations in understanding and managing their seabed mineral resources within a framework that prioritises environmental stewardship alongside resource assessment.

 

Manihiki Plateau and Abyssal Plain Exploration

 

The expedition will focus on the Manihiki Plateau and adjacent abyssal plains, environments characterised by polymetallic nodule fields on sediment-covered seafloors formed by ancient volcanic activity. The nodule environments of the central Pacific are among the most significant deposits globally in terms of mineral concentration and spatial extent, and the Cook Islands EEZ contains a meaningful portion of this resource. Scientific exploration of these environments provides baseline ecological data that is essential for evaluating the potential impacts of any future extraction activity, designing effective marine protected areas, and establishing the environmental management frameworks that responsible seabed mineral development requires. The comparison of different deep-ocean habitat types across the expedition area will also contribute to broader understanding of abyssal biodiversity and ecosystem function.

 

Scientific Methods and Real-Time Public Access

 

The team will deploy ROVs for seafloor and water column imaging and sampling, supported by multibeam sonar mapping and onsite sensor systems. ROV operations will be streamed online in real time during the expedition, allowing shore-based scientists and the general public to observe live video from the deep sea and hear experts discuss observations as they are made. The live streaming approach reflects a deliberate commitment to scientific transparency and public engagement, transforming what would otherwise be an invisible technical operation into a publicly accessible scientific event. Real-time public access to deep-sea exploration also supports science communication and education, building broader awareness of the deep ocean's ecological significance at a time when seabed mineral development is becoming an increasingly visible policy issue.

 

Connection to 2025 Nautilus Expedition

 

The new expedition builds on a NOAA-funded 2025 expedition conducted in the Cook Islands aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus, carried out in partnership with the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority and the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute. The earlier expedition surveyed seascapes including polymetallic nodule fields, lava flows, and sediment-filled depressions, generating imagery and environmental data that now informs the design of the 2026 Okeanos Explorer programme. The continuity between expeditions enables progressive characterisation of the region, with each campaign building on the knowledge base established by its predecessor and supporting more targeted scientific and resource assessment objectives.

 

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Data Sharing and Cook Islands Resource Management

 

All data gathered during the expedition will be made publicly available and shared with the Cook Islands government to support the management of marine resources in the region. The data-sharing commitment is commercially and diplomatically significant because it positions the United States as a partner that supports Pacific Island nations in developing the scientific capacity and information base needed for informed sovereign decision-making about their marine resources. For the Cook Islands, access to high-quality, independently gathered scientific data strengthens the government's ability to evaluate seabed mineral development proposals, design environmental safeguards, and engage credibly in international discussions on deep-sea governance.

 

Executive Order Alignment and US Minerals Strategy

 

The expedition advances objectives outlined in the US Executive Order on Unleashing America's Offshore Minerals and Resources, which calls on the United States to strengthen relationships with partners interested in responsibly developing seabed minerals in their national jurisdictions. The alignment reflects the broader strategic context in which ocean exploration and seabed mineral science are increasingly linked to supply chain security, critical minerals policy, and geopolitical positioning in the Pacific. By combining scientific exploration with partnership building in a region of growing strategic importance, the expedition serves multiple objectives simultaneously, advancing environmental knowledge, supporting partner nation capacity, and contributing to the US government's broader approach to critical minerals access.

 

Implications for Deep-Sea Mineral Governance

 

The Cook Islands expedition takes place at a moment of significant global debate about the governance of seabed mineral development. The International Seabed Authority continues to develop mining regulations for the international seabed area, while coastal states are navigating how to assess and potentially develop nodule resources within their own exclusive economic zones. High-quality scientific baseline data is a prerequisite for credible environmental assessment and responsible governance in both contexts, and NOAA's continued investment in expedition science in nodule-bearing environments contributes directly to the evidence base that policymakers, regulators, and industry need to make informed decisions. The Cook Islands programme demonstrates how international scientific partnerships can generate data that serves multiple governance and resource management purposes simultaneously.

 

Outlook for Pacific Seabed Mineral Research

 

The Cook Islands expedition is one element of a broader expansion of scientific attention to Pacific abyssal environments, driven by the convergence of critical minerals demand, deep-sea biodiversity research, and evolving international governance frameworks. As more expeditions are conducted across Pacific nodule fields, the cumulative scientific understanding of abyssal ecosystems will continue to improve, providing a stronger empirical foundation for the decisions that governments, regulators, and industry will need to make about seabed mineral development over the coming decade. For the Cook Islands specifically, the partnership with NOAA provides an opportunity to build national scientific capacity and to position the country as an informed and credible participant in the international governance debates that will shape the future of seabed mineral development across the Pacific region.