this special issue showcases innovative methods, including advanced signal processing and machine learning, to enhance ocean data quality and integration, fostering a deeper understanding of ocean-climate interactions. despite their significance, many aspects of ocean science remain underexplored due to the complex interplay of physical, chemical, biological, and human factors. this special issue's papers cover a diverse range of topics, including improving sonar mosaics with curvelet transform, refining bgc-argo radiometry, mapping bathymetry using sentinel-2 and hpc, estimating arctic water transport, the use of uav-based lidar, optimizing wind sensing, analyzing heat flux at the sea-air interface, modeling float resistance, studying ocean turbulence, and leveraging ai for whale call analysis.