What’s Argo?

Argo is a project that is conducted under the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) and other related institutions. The aim of the project is to build a real time, high resolution monitoring system for upper and middle layers of the world ocean.

Japan Argo is implemented under cooperation among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (operation : Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)), the Japan Fisheries Agency (JFA), the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT), the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

Vessels that have contributed in deploying
or retrieving the Japanese Argo floats

  • Oshoro-maru (Hokkaido Univ.)
  • Umitaka-maru (Tokyo Univ. of Marine Science and Technology)
  • Bosei-maru (Tokai Univ.)
  • Shonan-maru (Misaki Fisheries High School)
  • Yaizu (Shizuoka Prefectural Yaizu Fisheries High School)
  • Miyagi-maru (Miyagiken Fisheries High School)
  • Aomori-maru (Hachinohe Fisheries High School)
  • Kaio-maru(National Institute for Sea Training)
  • Nisshin-maru & Kaiko-maru (Institute of Cetacean Research)
  • Shonan maru No.2 (International Whaling Commission, Institute of Cetacean Research)
  • Shirase (National Institute of Polar Research)
  • Shoyo-maru & Kaiyo-maru (Japan Fisheries Agency)
  • Koyo-maru (National Fisheries Univ.)
  • Hokko-maru (Hokkaido National Fisheries Res.Inst.)
  • Wakatake-maru (Hokkaido National Fisheries Res.Inst. / Hokkaido Government board of education)
  • Wakataka-maru (Tohoku National Fisheries Res.Inst.)
  • Taka-maru (National Res.Inst. of Fisheries Engineering)
  • Hakurei-maru No.8 (Marine Fisheries Res. and Dev. Center)
  • Takuyo & Shoyo & Tenyo & Meiyo & Kaiyo (Japan Coast Guard)
  • Ryofu-maru & Keifu-maru & Kofu-maru & Seifu-maru & Chofu-maru (Japan Meteorological Agency)
  • Hakuho-maru & Tansei-maru (Ocean Research Institute / Univ. of Tokyo / JAMSTEC)
  • Mirai & Kaiyo & Yokosuka (JAMSTEC)