Our video summarises the highlights of 2025 – a year in which we worked closely with companies, start-ups and associations to further advance sustainability and the common good in the maritime sector.

We are delighted to share this important milestone: the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development has officially recognised the German Ocean Foundation as a Decade Implementing Partner. This strengthens our commitment to marine conservation, science communication and societal transformation at an international level.

The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) has lodged an official objection to the renewed MSC sustainability certification of Antarctic krill fishing. The German Ocean Foundation expressly supports ASOC's position: the protection of the Antarctic ecosystem is a top priority.

The German Ocean Foundation invites students to participate in the marine competition “Research at Sea,” in which young researchers can carry out their projects on a real research vessel. Teams of 2-4 students in grade 9 or above can apply for the 2026 competition until the end of March 2026.

Our ocean urgently needs people who are committed to protecting it. We are proud to introduce you to the Ocean Heroes we met at Love Your Ocean at boot Düsseldorf in January.

The ocean tribute Award honours outstanding commitment to ocean protection, this year's winner is the educational project by One Ocean Planet – a global programme that gives children and young people a central role in marine and climate protection. The organization's goal is quite simple: we can no longer say that the problem is not ours; instead, we must empower the next generation to take action now.

At yesterday’s Ocean Forum, 12 short inputs from research institutions, NGOs, startups, data experts and citizen scienctists showcase practical solutions for ocean protection and sustainable use. Dialogue is where transformation begins.

“We are halfway through the decade of ocean exploration, understanding and care to use our power to reverse this trend in the next five years from decline to recovery. Boot Dusseldorf is an example of people who are coming together to celebrate water sports, to celebrate how much fun it is to be out there in the ocean, but the greatest joy of all is to realise we have a chance to care for the ocean, to make that difference in the next five years.”

“It is a decade for ocean action supported by science, supported by knowledge, and since the future of the ocean depends on tens of thousands of decisions made every day in governments, in local authorities, in businesses, in households, we depend on knowledge being distributed and reaching new communities so that people can make the right decisions for the benefit of the ocean. So progress for the Ocean Decade depends on connecting knowledge to people and to all those decisions. Love Your Ocean is doing exactly that, making science visible, making science understandable and making science usable.”

The winning projects of the German Ocean Foundation's 2025 Research at Sea competition were celebrated at boot 2026 in Düsseldorf. All three student teams from Tuttlingen, Hamburg and Kiel were declared winners by the jury for achieving outstanding scientific results under very different conditions.

Our Love Your Ocean initiative for a sustainable ocean at boot Düsseldorf opened today, and we are delighted to welcome you here. Ninety-nine exhibitors and speakers will be offering hands-on marine science, workshops, a science island dedicated to seagrass restoration, a citizen science area and a continuous programme of lectures on the Water Pixel World stage until 25 January.

The European Union has a historic opportunity to realise a shared, forward-looking vision for our largest habitat, the ocean. This was the central theme of the German Ocean Foundation's Parliamentary Ocean Evening at the Zeiss Großplanetarium in Berlin on 9 December.

Inspiring panel at BOOT & FUN Berlin: Last week, we discussed the future of mobility on the water with Loris Schimanski (GREENBOATS), Richard Stickler (Segelboot-Sharing Berlin) and Marcel Hirthe (Miet-Boot). The focus was on sharing in water sports – sharing boats instead of owning them.

Public voting runs from Monday, December 1st, 2025, until Friday, December 19th, 2025.

These inspiring organizations are competing for this year's award:

▪️ Iberian Orca Guardians Foundation
▪️ MarineCultures.org▪️ One Ocean Planet Foundation
▪️ Sailing insieme
▪️ Turtle Foundation