The analytical expressions for the cross-spectral density and average intensity of Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) vortex beams propagating through oceanic turbulence are obtained by using the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle and the spatial power spectrum of the refractive index of ocean water. The evolution behavior of GSM vortex beams through oceanic turbulence is studied in detail by numerical simulation. It is shown that the evolution behavior of coherent vortices and average intensity depends on the oceanic turbulence including the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass of fluid, rate of dissipation of mean-square temperature, relative strength of temperature salinity fluctuations, and beam parameters including the spatial correlation length and topological charge of the beams, as well as the propagation distance.