International Indian Ocean Expedition
The International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) was a large-scale multinational hydrographic survey of the Indian Ocean which took place from 1959 to 1965. It involved over 45 research vessels from 14 countries. It was sponsored by the Scientific Committee on Oceanographic Research, and later by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Vast amounts of data on oceanic organisms were collected. For example, specimens of Polychaetes (marine worms) were collected from the coasts of the Indian Ocean.