C150 Halfway Highlights
As Challenger 150 reaches the midpoint of the UN Ocean Decade, we are pleased to share our Halfway Highlights. Published January 2026, this document captures the programme’s progress from 2021–2025, bringing together key achievements in research, training, community building, and international collaboration. It also reflects how the Challenger 150 community is shaping a coordinated, inclusive, and impactful approach to deep‑ocean science as we move into the second half of the Decade.
Highlights
In previous years, Challenger 150 has published Annual Highlights documents bringing together key activities, achievements, and progress across the programme. These reports provide a year‑by‑year snapshot of research, training, collaboration, and community growth as Challenger 150 advances its contribution to the UN Ocean Decade.
Year 1
Year 1 Highlights mark the establishment of Challenger 150 as a global deep‑sea research programme, including the launch of regional and technical working groups, endorsement of early flagship projects, and coordinated research across all ocean basins. The year focused on building collaboration, setting standards, and laying the foundations for training, data sharing, and science‑to‑policy engagement during the UN Ocean Decade.
Year 2
Year 2 Highlights document Challenger 150’s growing focus on training and capacity building, alongside new deep‑sea observations across multiple ocean basins. Key milestones include the launch of the African Network of Deep‑water Researchers, coordinated regional planning workshops, image‑analysis training, and a series of international research cruises spanning polar to tropical regions.
Year 3
Year 3 Highlights capture continued growth in Challenger 150’s scientific and community impact, building on foundations laid earlier in the Decade. Major achievements include advanced training initiatives, delivery of multiple research cruises, publication of the first regional deep‑sea ecosystem review, and strengthened collaboration supporting global deep‑sea data integration and policy engagement.