Deep Sea Minerals Highlights U.S. and Cook Islands Offshore Critical Minerals Push, Wins OTCQB Listing

Deep Sea Minerals outlines dual-track offshore strategy

Deep Sea Minerals Corp. said it is advancing offshore critical minerals initiatives in both the United States and the Cook Islands, positioning the company around two jurisdictions it views as increasingly relevant to seabed mineral development.

The Vancouver-based company said its work is centered on regulatory readiness, technical review, and capital allocation toward concession and permitting pathways as governments sharpen policy around critical minerals supply chains.

NOAA reforms and U.S. mapping program sharpen the domestic pathway

The company said the U.S. regulatory framework reached a material inflection point in January 2026 after NOAA announced revisions intended to modernize and consolidate the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act permitting process.

Deep Sea Minerals also pointed to NOAA’s planned hydrographic survey of more than 30,000 square nautical miles offshore American Samoa, expected to begin in February 2026, as part of the U.S. Offshore Critical Minerals Mapping Plan. The company said the combination of permitting changes and mapping activity could improve clarity for applicants pursuing U.S.-aligned offshore projects.

Cook Islands framework gains strategic relevance

Deep Sea Minerals said it is also evaluating concession pathways in the Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone, which it described as one of the few jurisdictions with an established seabed mineral regulatory framework and a long scientific record.

The company noted that the Cook Islands Government and the United States formalized a framework for cooperation on critical minerals research and supply chain security in February 2026. Deep Sea Minerals said that development reinforces the jurisdiction’s importance for offshore mineral activity and supports its sequenced approach to project development.

Broader policy backdrop supports critical minerals investment

The company framed its strategy against a wider policy shift in which critical mineral supply chains are increasingly treated as strategic infrastructure. It cited recent U.S. actions including the launch of Project Vault, described as a US$12 billion initiative aimed at strengthening mineral resilience through stockpiling and related supply chain measures.

Deep Sea Minerals also referenced U.S. plans to create a critical minerals trade bloc involving approximately 55 countries, saying the initiative reflects a broader effort to counter China’s dominance and diversify sourcing for materials used in advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, semiconductors, and defense systems.

Management says institutional momentum validates strategy

Chief Executive Officer James Deckelman said recent U.S. government actions reinforce the critical minerals imperative and support the company’s strategic focus.

He also said collaboration between the U.S. and the Cook Islands underscores the importance of the region in the critical minerals landscape and is consistent with Deep Sea Minerals’ evaluation of the area.

The aggressive action taken by the U.S. Government in recent weeks reinforces the critical minerals imperative and validates our strategic focus. The institutional momentum is profound. U.S. collaboration with the Cook Islands Government attests to the nation’s critical minerals importance, consistent with Deep Sea’s evaluation of this area.

James Deckelman, Chief Executive Officer

OTCQB graduation may broaden investor access

Deep Sea Minerals said its common shares have graduated from the OTC Pink Market to the OTCQB Venture Market, effective today, and will trade under the symbol OTCQB: DSEAF.

The company said the move is intended to increase visibility, improve liquidity, and raise disclosure standards for investors, while broadening exposure to U.S. market participants.

Graduating to the OTCQB is an important milestone for Deep Sea Minerals as we continue to advance our strategy and broaden our exposure to U.S. investors.

James Deckelman, Chief Executive Officer

Stock option grant adds to equity compensation

Deep Sea Minerals said it granted 575,000 stock options to certain directors, officers and consultants, subject to regulatory approval.

The options are exercisable at the market price of the shares at the time of grant for up to five years, with vesting over six months to twenty-four months. Shares issued on exercise will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the grant date.

Investor takeaway

The release positions Deep Sea Minerals as a small-cap name tied to a policy-driven offshore critical minerals theme, with the company leaning on U.S. regulatory changes, Cook Islands cooperation, and broader supply-chain security initiatives to support its narrative.

For investors, the immediate focus is likely to be whether the company can convert policy momentum into tangible permitting progress, technical milestones, or partnership activity. The OTCQB uplisting may improve trading access, but execution risk remains high given the early-stage nature of the strategy.