Water in the oceans is in constant motion driven by tidal forces, density* differences, and winds. Winds create surface currents by transferring energy to the water by friction. The direction of a wind-driven surface current is determined by how the transferred wind energy interacts with Coriolis deflection, other currents, and geological features such as continents and island arcs.
A major feature of the surface current systems in all of Earth's large ocean basins is a central gyre. These gyres move water in large, roughly circular patterns around each ocean basin's center.