Amount of debt convertible per lot after two year.

No definition available.

Name:	omex_AmountOfDebtConvertiblePerLotAfterTwoYear
Namespace Prefix:	omex_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of debt convertible per lot during period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	omex_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity ownership interest in wholly owned subsidiary.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	omex_EquityOwnershipInterestInWhollyOwnedSubsidiary
Namespace Prefix:	omex_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity ownership interest in wholly owned subsidiary collateral percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	omex_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum percentage of equity ownership interest in wholly owned subsidiary per lot.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	omex_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum percentage of equity ownership interest in wholly owned subsidiary per lot.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	omex_
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For an unclassified balance sheet, a valuation allowance for receivables due a company that are expected to be uncollectible.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=d3e5074-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The name of the original debt issue that has been converted in a noncash (or part noncash) transaction during the accounting period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total investments in (A) an entity in which the entity has significant influence, but does not have control, (B) subsidiaries that are not required to be consolidated and are accounted for using the equity and or cost method, and (C) an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group. Includes long-term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum amount of borrowing capacity under a line of credit that is available as of the balance sheet date for a specific purpose other than for financing goods acquired for inventory or imminent delivery to a customer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCapacityAvailableForSpecificPurposeOtherThanForTradePurchases
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date the credit facility terminates, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityExpirationDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective interest rate during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=omex_MonacoFinancialLLCMember
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- Details

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Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)		12 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Reserve for doubtful accounts receivable		$ 2,345,729	$ 2,315,797
Neptune Minerals, Inc. [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Carrying value of accounts receivable		$ 0
Monaco [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt conversion description		All or a portion of this loan will be convertible into up to 50% of our equity interests in our wholly owned subsidiary. If the lender chooses to convert the debt, each $1.0 million of indebtedness is to be convertible into 10% of the equity interest of our wholly owned subsidiary, up to 50%. If the loan is paid in full, the lender will still have the option to buy up to 50% of the equity interest in the same manner as the aforementioned $1.0 million per 10%. This option will remain for twelve months after the loan is paid in full. After this twelve-month period, the lender may extend the option for up to two additional years by making a payment of $0.5 million per year.
Monaco [Member] \| Neptune Minerals, Inc. [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Reserve for doubtful accounts receivable		$ 2,345,729	$ 2,315,797
Monaco [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Amount of debt financed	$ 5,000,000
Line of credit	$ 750,000
Line of credit, interest rate	10.00%
Line of credit, expiration period	24 months
Line of credit, expiration date	Mar. 15, 2017
Equity interests in wholly owned subsidiary collateral percentage	50.00%
Percentage of equity interests in wholly owned subsidiary	50.00%
Amount of debt converted during period	$ 1,000,000
Minimum equity interests in wholly owned subsidiary per lot	10.00%
Maximum equity interests in wholly owned subsidiary per lot	50.00%
Payment made to extend the option to convert debt	$ 500,000
Monaco [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Line of credit facility for shipwreck search and recovery projects	2,000,000
Monaco [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member] \| Neptune Minerals, Inc. [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Reserve for doubtful accounts receivable	2,345,729
Carrying value of accounts receivable	0
Monaco [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member] \| Shipwreck Search and Recovery Projects [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Amount of debt financed	$ 3,000,000