Monaco inaugurates permanent secretariat for GEBCO ocean mapping
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Prince Albert II attended the inauguration of a new permanent secretariat for the GEBCO seabed mapping programme in Monaco.
A new permanent secretariat for the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans, known as GEBCO, has been inaugurated in Monaco, with Prince Albert II attending the ceremony. The programme works to produce a complete map of the world's ocean floor, a task that remains far from finished despite decades of international effort.
The move cements Monaco's long association with marine science, a relationship dating back to Prince Albert I and the founding of the Oceanographic Institute on the Rock. Establishing a permanent base for GEBCO here gives the Principality a continuing role at the centre of global efforts to chart the seabed, work that underpins everything from shipping safety to climate research and deep sea conservation.
For residents, the announcement reinforces Monaco's identity as a serious hub for ocean science rather than simply a backdrop for marine events and exhibitions. It also signals that the Principality intends to keep backing long term scientific infrastructure, not just high profile one-off initiatives, a distinction that matters for those who follow Monaco's environmental commitments closely.