For practical wireless communication links, one of the critical challenges is the random fluctuation of turbulence that will impair link performance. Here a transmission model of partially coherent elegant Laguerre-Gaussian (ELG) beams in oceanic turbulence is established. An analytical formula for channel capacity of a partially coherent ELG beam propagating through a turbulent ocean is derived. The effects of oceanic turbulence on the evolution of channel capacity performance are studied quantitatively in a series of numerical simulations. Research results show that decreasing the rate of dissipation of mean-square temperature and ratio of temperature to salinity, as well as increasing the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass of fluid of a turbulent ocean can significantly improve communication channel capacity. Furthermore, choosing optimum beam source parameters is favorable to mitigate the influence of oceanic turbulence. Results also show that in the underwater turbulence, the partially coherent ELG beams are more affected by turbulence as compared to the fully coherent ELG beams. These study results may provide potential help in designing the free-space optical vortex communication systems.