The International Council for Science (ICSU) formed the Special Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) in 1957 to help address interdisciplinary science questions related to the ocean. SCOR was the first interdisciplinary body formed by ICSU. SCOR's name was later changed to "Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research" to reflect its more permanent status.

SCOR is an international non-governmental non-profit organization. The SCOR Secretariat is hosted at the University of Delaware (USA) and SCOR is incorporated in the State of Maryland as a 501(3)(c) organization.

SCOR activities focus on promoting international cooperation in planning and conducting oceanographic research, and solving methodological and conceptual problems that hinder research. SCOR covers all areas of ocean science and cooperates with other organizations with common interests to conduct many SCOR activities.

SCOR also conducts several different activities to build the capacity for ocean science in developing countries and every SCOR activity includes members from developing countries.

Scientists from thirty-two nations have formed national SCOR committees as a foundation for international SCOR. Approximately 250 scientists from 38 countries currently participate in SCOR activities.