[2] The centre can trace its origins back to the years immediately after Second World War, when the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) was founded.

According to that plan a research and teaching complex was erected on the new Waterfront Campus dock-side location within the Port of Southampton to become the new home for the former National Institute of Oceanographic Science (from Wormley, Surrey), the Research Vessel Service (from Barry, Wales) and the former University of Southampton departments of Geology and Oceanography.

For fieldwork and research by university staff and students OES operates a smaller vessel, the 19.75 metres (64.8 ft) catamaran RV Callista.

[9] NOCS has multi-use aquarium facilities with a variety of tanks displaying a range of biotopes and habitats, including seagrass beds, rocky shores and rock pool environments.

The Graduate School of the National Oceanography Centre Southampton offers degree programs at both Master and PhD level.

Furthermore, NOCS is the lead of the Southampton Partnership for Innovative Training of Future Investigators Researching the Environment consortium, which also includes the British Antarctic Survey, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the Natural History Museum, London, the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and others.

Activities and events include an annual Ocean and Earth Day, a public seminar series of marine life talks, and "Discover Oceanography" sessions aboard Callista.

[15] As part of the wider efforts to conserve electrical power and water consumption 544 solar panels and waterless urinals were installed.