The world is changing rapidly. Our growing dependence on the ocean, and the emergence of new ‘ocean industries’ that will use the sea’s resources, heighten our collective need to understand better the fragility of marine habitats and the vulnerabilities faced by coastal communities around the globe. This means that the decisions we make about our relationship with the oceans are becoming even more important. Our choices, today and tomorrow, need to be the right ones for the safety and security of our oceans, and our collective economic prosperity. Effective decision-making is predicated on accurate information. For the oceans, our decision-making relies on sound marine geospatial data. Data helps to guide governments, shipping companies, navies, offshore energy producers, and new and emerging trades and industries to making the right commercial decisions. But data can also help to protect those nations and populations that are most exposed to extreme weather events and climate change and defend our marine habitats.