NAVOCEANO

NAVOCEANO, short for the Naval Oceanographic Office, is the United States Navy’s central provider of oceanographic information and related services. It operates as a field activity of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) and is headquartered at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Established in the 1960s, NAVOCEANO collects, analyzes, and distributes oceanographic, hydrographic, and geospatial data to support naval operations and national defense.

The organization gathers data from hydrographic surveys, remote sensing, unmanned systems, and other sources, then produces products such as bathymetric charts, tide and current predictions, environmental condition data (temperature, salinity, sound speed profiles), and acoustic propagation models used to predict sonar performance. NAVOCEANO also maintains digital data repositories, geographic information systems, and decision-support tools that enable navigation safety, submarine operations, mine warfare, and amphibious missions.

In addition to data production, NAVOCEANO provides technical support, scientific expertise, and training to fleet commanders and other U.S. government agencies. It collaborates with federal partners such as NOAA, NGA, and allied navies, as well as academic and private-sector researchers, to improve oceanographic knowledge and data quality.

The office’s work underpins navigation, planning, and undersea warfare by delivering reliable oceanographic intelligence and ready-to-use products to sailors and shore-based users worldwide.