NOAA Ship MALCOLM BALDRIGE, one of the United States largest and best equipped oceanographic research vessels, left Miami, Florida on February 13, 1995 for an around-the-world scientific expedition to gather data integral to solving some of the world's most pressing environmental problems. These investigations will include: Where does all of the carbon dioxide go when we burn fossil fuels; Is the Indian Ocean a carbon dioxide source or a carbon dioxide sink; How does the circulation in the Indian Ocean affect the world's climate; and What pollutants are in the air overlying the worlds oceans?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the largest agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce, is sending the ship on a twelve-month voyage to fulfill one of its prime missions: Searching for the solutions to many of the most critical environmental problems, including the greenhouse effect and potential global climate change. During the year, scientists from NOAA, other U.S. oceanographic research institutions, and from foreign countries will sail on the MALCOLM BALDRIGE in search of answers to environmental problems.