ALL LIFE REQUIRES A HEALTHY OCEAN TO SURVIVE
HISTORY+MISSION
Our Mission
All life requires a healthy Ocean to survive. The Ocean Research Project (ORP) is committed to scientific exploration under sail, blending modern technology with timeless seafaring efficiency to:
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Discover Ocean Mysteries: Uncovering the unknown wonders of the Ocean.
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Observe Humanity's Influence: Monitoring how human activities impact the Ocean's health.
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Inspire Change: Creating a legacy of champions engaged in ocean research undersail and sharing our findings to increase public awareness.
By designing cost-effective sailing expeditions, ORP provides a powerful alternative to traditional, expensive research methods. Our close collaboration with scientists ensures that our research focuses on the most critical environmental issues.
Our Approach
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Innovative Low-Carbon Research: Combining modern technology with traditional sailing to conduct lower-cost low-carbon expeditions.
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Global Collaboration: Partnering with scientists worldwide to gather crucial data from remote, sensitive areas.
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Public Awareness: Broadly sharing our findings to inspire change.
Ocean Research Project's Timeline
2011
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Solo Circumnavigation: Matt Rutherford completes his historic solo circumnavigation of the Americas, covering 27,077 miles in 309 days. This journey sparked his passion for ocean conservation.
2012
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Founding Vision: Inspired by his circumnavigation and the alarming amount of plastic debris he encountered, Matt Rutherford founds Ocean Research Project (ORP) in Annapolis, Maryland. ORP is dedicated to reversing humanity's negative impact on the Ocean through science, exploration, and education.
2013
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Sailor & marine scientist, Nicole Trenholm joined ORP to devise and execute ORP's Science Program.
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Atlantic Expedition: Matt Rutherford and Nicole Trenholm embark on ORP’s maiden voyage, spending 70 days sailing the Atlantic Ocean. They collect plastic debris samples and map the eastern side of the North Atlantic garbage patch, laying the foundation for ORP's marine debris research.
2014
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Pacific Ocean Research: ORP expands its research to the Pacific Ocean, investigating microplastic pollution and further documenting the global scale of plastic debris in marine environments.
2015-2016
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Greenland Collaboration with NASA: ORP collaborates with NASA’s Ocean Melting Greenland Program, conducting pioneering research on warm, salty water columns impacting Greenland’s glaciers. This partnership marks a significant step towards understanding climate change's effects on the ocean impact on polar regions.
2018
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Third Greenland & Canadian Arctic Expedition: Building on previous research, ORP conducts another Arctic expedition, focusing on the observing if the complex forces contributing to the Greenland ice sheet's rapid melting extends into the Northwest Passage melting glaciers of Devon Island. This expedition highlights ORP’s commitment to advancing climate science in remote and challenging environments.
2022
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RV Marie Tharp Launch: ORP commissions the RV Marie Tharp, a 72’ Bruce Roberts Voyager 650, for a 10-year ocean research and mapping campaign in polar regions. This state-of-the-art vessel symbolizes ORP’s dedication to using innovative technologies for sustainable marine research.
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GO-MARIE Expedition: ORP launches the Glacier-Oceans Mapping & Research Interdisciplinary Effort (GO-MARIE), focusing on mapping uncharted fjords in Greenland. This initiative underscores ORP’s ongoing exploration and commitment to filling critical gaps in polar research towards the United Nations Seabed 2030 goal.
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Nicole Trenholm carries the Society of Women Geographer Flag for GO-MARIE campaign
2023
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GO-MARIE Expedition Year II: ORP continues to focus on the exploration of global warming influence on Greenland's fjord ecosystem conditions and maintains the commitment to filling critical gaps in Arctic seafloor mapping in the Canadian Arctic .
2024
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SRV Marie Tharp joined the Office Naval Research New England Seamount Acoustic Experiment (NESMA) supporting the Virginia Institute of Marine Science glider operations over the July and August. In coordination with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and in tandem with UNOLS vessel, the team conducted autonomous glider deployments and recoveries, 20 CTD profiles and participated in three concurrent fleet operations experiments. The data is supportive of the better prediction of Gulf Stream circulation and sound propagation. Five students participated in the campaign.
