This scientific quarterly online publication is dedicated to the questions of research in the area of ocean biology, its geophysics and geology, drainage basins of the World Ocean, seawater, ocean floor, oceanic crust, shelf resources, offshore drilling, ecolocation, volcanoes, reefs and atolls, sea currents and climate, ecology, and shipping on the ocean waters. It also publishes the main scientific results of dissertations of individual seeking doctorate and candidate degrees. In accordance with the nomenclature of scientific specialties of the Highest Attestation Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, this publication focuses on the following disciplines:
25.00.00 – Earth Science
05.22.17 – Inland Waterways and Hydrography
05.22.19 – Exploitation of sea transport; Navigation
03.00.00 – Biology
The journal systematically publishes peer reviews for monographs, textbooks, and learning guides. The publisher has an independent Institute of Scientific Peer Review. Each article undergoes the “double-blind review” process.

The journal assigns a universal international identification number DOI of the CrossRef system to all published articles. The publication is also included into the Russian Science Citation Index and registered with the Scientific Electronic Library.