Ocean Expedition Special Reveals Deep-Sea Discoveries
The one-hour special documents first-known deep-sea observations from a multiyear project, premiering 16 November 2026.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Environmental
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National Geographic has unveiled the trailer and premiere date for Expedition: Saving Our Seas, a one-hour special showcasing its multiyear Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions across all five ocean basins. The special premieres Monday, 16 November 2026 at 18:50 on National Geographic across Africa, and is a documentary broadcast rather than a new technology product.
Why it matters
The special documents field work in the Southern Ocean, the Arctic and elsewhere, where deep-ocean exploration remains sparse. Its emphasis on pairing remote vehicles with coastal community knowledge reflects a broader push to extend deep-sea mapping and monitoring beyond the handful of well-resourced institutions that currently conduct it.
Field observations come from expedition dives using the remotely operated vehicle SuBastian, which reached 13,000 feet aboard the research vessel Falkor. The project cites that only 0.001% of the deep ocean has been explored, leaving 99.999% unexplored.
The players
National Geographic
Media organization whose expedition program combines field exploration with documentary storytelling across the world's ocean basins.
Rolex Perpetual Planet
Rolex-backed initiative that co-funds the Ocean Expeditions program with National Geographic.
Dr. Katy Croff Bell
Ocean scientist developing the Deep Ocean Research and Imaging System (DORIS) to open deep-sea exploration to more communities.
The details
The expeditions combine remotely operated vehicles, which are tethered robots piloted from a ship, with cameras and sensors that record the seafloor and water column. The team pairs this equipment with local knowledge, and explorers train students in the Gambia to measure ocean depth and currents. Dr. Katy Croff Bell is developing the Deep Ocean Research and Imaging System (DORIS), which is designed to give communities access to their own deep-ocean waters.
Timeline
Monday, 16 November 2026 at 18:50: premiere on National Geographic across Africa
November 2026: National Geographic magazine publishes its single-topic ocean issue
The Tech Race
The Ocean Expeditions program is one of several efforts pairing remotely operated vehicles with field research to map deep-sea environments. Its focus on access for coastal communities sets it apart from expeditions led primarily by well-funded research institutions.
The special premieres Monday, 16 November 2026 at 18:50 on National Geographic across Africa, and will also be available on Disney+ in South Africa. Viewers outside those markets have no release date in the source, so availability elsewhere is unannounced.
The takeaway
Watch whether the Seychelles team's planned deep-ocean lander deployment produces data for fisheries and marine protected area management. Check the November 2026 National Geographic magazine ocean issue for the expedition's published findings.
Further reading
For more on the ecosystems this expedition studies, explore our Environmental coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Marketing Spread.
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