About

A Non-Profit Journalism Organization

The Outlaw Ocean Project is a non-profit journalism organization based in Washington D.C. that produces investigative stories about human rights, labor, and environmental concerns on the two thirds of the planet covered by water.

More than 50 million people work offshore. Roughly 80 percent of the goods we consume reach us by way of the sea. Half the air we breathe comes from the oceans. And yet, this realm is home to a variety of urgent concerns that go largely overlooked by most news outlets because it is too costly, too dangerous and too time consuming to report on them. These concerns include the murder of stowaways, arms trafficking, illegal fishing, pollution, dumping, drilling and human slavery on fishing ships. The organization was founded and is directed by Ian Urbina, who produced an award-winning series in 2015 in The New York Times and a subsequent best-selling book in 2019.

The Outlaw Ocean Project’s journalism is distinct not just in its focus, but also in how the reporting is conducted and distributed. Most of the stories are reported at least partially at sea. In the United States, the non-profit publishes its stories in various news outlets, including the New Yorker, NBC News, The Atlantic and The Washington Post. The reporting is also translated into a half dozen languages and further disseminated abroad in partnership with dozens of foreign newspapers, magazines, radio and television venues. 

To reach a younger and more international audience, the organization leverages non-news platforms, collaborating with artists to convert the reporting into other forms such as music, animation, mural art, stage performance, and podcast.

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Project Team

  1. Ian Urbina, Executive Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Ian UrbinaExecutive Editor
  2. Halie Brown, Operations & Music Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Halie BrownOperations & Music Editor
  3. Joe Galvin, Open Source Investigations Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Joe GalvinOpen Source Investigations Editor
  4. Marcella Boehler, Global Publishing Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Marcella BoehlerGlobal Publishing Editor
  5. Raphaela Morais, Graphic Design Director - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Raphaela MoraisGraphic Design Director
  6. Ben Blankenship, Video Producer - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Ben BlankenshipVideo Producer
  7. Susan Ryan, Research & Investigations Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Susan RyanResearch & Investigations Editor
  8. Austin Brush, Research & Investigations Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Austin BrushResearch & Investigations Editor
  9. Maya Martin, Research Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Maya MartinResearch Editor
  10. Jake Conley, Research Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Jake ConleyResearch Editor
  11. Molly Wiggins, Research Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Molly WigginsResearch Editor
  12. Adrienne Urbina, Subscription & Social Media Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Adrienne UrbinaSubscription & Social Media Editor
  13. Stephan Foxwell, Web & Data Editor - The Outlaw Ocean Project
    Stephan FoxwellWeb & Data Editor