Latest news with #deepseaexploration
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Science
- South China Morning Post
China steps up deep-sea science role with UN-backed oceans exploration project
A China-led international deep-sea cooperative exploration project has won United Nations approval, paving the way for Beijing's increased participation in global science and technology governance. Advertisement The Global Hadal Exploration Programme (GHEP) aims to penetrate the mysteries of the deepest waters, in response to the UN goal of protecting and sustainably developing the oceans. The multi-country initiative, spearheaded by the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was selected earlier this month for inclusion in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which runs from 2021 to 2030. Under the Ocean Decade framework, a global abyssal research centre will be established to run annual crewed expeditions into the hadal zone, which lies within the oceanic trenches, and provide regular public reports, according to a CAS release on June 18. Rui Bao, professor of deep-sea science at the Ocean University of China, said the GHEP programme 'serves our national marine science development and strategy'. Advertisement 'Its endorsement by the UN Ocean Decade reflects China's increasing leadership and influence within the specialised field of global deep-sea exploration,' he said.
Arab News
13-06-2025
- Science
- Arab News
How Saudi Arabia's OceanQuest is making waves in global marine conservation
RIYADH: As the curtains closed on this year's UN Ocean Conference in the French city of Nice, the Saudi-led foundation OceanQuest emerged as one of the standout contributors to marine sustainability — not only in policy circles but also in the depths of the world's oceans. Fresh from its pioneering Around Africa Expedition, OceanQuest, in partnership with OceanX, brought remarkable scientific discoveries and a powerful message to UNOC — that true marine conservation must combine exploration, collaboration, and education. 'This expedition went around Africa and engaged on-ship around 16 African scientists and more than 200 port stops,' Martin Visbeck, CEO of OceanQuest, told Arab News. From surveying megafauna by helicopter to exploring seamounts more than 1,000 meters beneath the surface aboard the OceanXplorer, the team used cutting-edge technology and human ingenuity to illuminate previously uncharted ecosystems. OceanQuest is a Saudi non-profit incubated at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. It is rapidly becoming a key player in the global marine science arena, dedicated to deep-sea exploration, design innovation, and cross-border collaboration. • OceanQuest is a Saudi non-profit focused on deep-sea exploration and global collaborations in marine science. • The foundation emphasizes human-centered approaches to conservation by training African scientists and educators. • Discoveries on its Around Africa Expedition include new seamounts vital for biodiversity and sustainable fisheries. One of its flagship missions — the Around Africa Expedition — offered not only new data but a model of inclusive, equitable marine science. Using robotic vehicles, manned submersibles, and remote sensing tools, the team made multiple dives during the mission. In total, they spent 53 hours underwater, collected nearly 90 samples, and mapped thousands of square kilometers of the seabed, including around the Nola Seamounts and Santo Antao Island. Flights over 922 nautical miles provided additional data on large marine animals. Among the major outcomes was the identification of new underwater seamounts, crucial for fisheries and marine biodiversity. 'We will be the ones who go to seamount systems and explore what is there, look at the species, look at the functions and understanding, then share that with the community, to provide reasons why certain seamounts should be protected,' said Visbeck. This insight is critical as countries consider the ratification and implementation of the High Seas Treaty — formally the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement — a major focus at UNOC. 'Biodiversity protection beyond national jurisdiction means the protected areas in the high seas, outside of a country's own legal role,' said Visbeck. OceanQuest's approach is not just technical — it is human-centered. Working alongside top African entities such as the National Research Foundation, the University of Cape Town, and the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the expedition helped build capacity for African marine science. Twenty-four early-career professionals from across the continent were trained in seafloor mapping, environmental DNA analysis, and deep-sea sampling. 'This wasn't just about what we discovered in the ocean. It was also about who we empowered on the ground,' said Visbeck. 'By investing in people — students, young professionals and educators — we're building a foundation for Africa's long-term leadership in ocean science.' This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field) He sees this collaborative model as a roadmap for future conservation. 'These collaborations are the future of ocean science in Africa,' he said. 'We've seen what's possible when scientists, governments and regional institutions align behind a common purpose, advancing knowledge, access and opportunity.' This year's UNOC provided the perfect platform for OceanQuest to share these achievements and ambitions. 'I decided that it would be amazing to celebrate and launch OceanQuest and share with the ocean world our arrival on the scene at UNOC,' said Visbeck. 'We are using UNOC to celebrate with our partners, friends and ocean-policy people on the scene and share with them our mission and vision.' In a time of mounting ocean crises — from plastic pollution to overfishing and climate change — Visbeck says awareness is a powerful tool. 'What we are trying to do is fight ignorance by providing data and information. Once the information is more clear, it can be a basis for regulatory agencies.' From the Red Sea to the high seas, OceanQuest is helping reframe the future of ocean conservation — not just by mapping the seafloor, but by drawing a new map for global cooperation.
Japan Times
13-05-2025
- Science
- Japan Times
Japan unveils new deep-sea probe for 8,000-meter dives
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, or JAMSTEC, unveiled on Monday a deep-sea explorer capable of reaching a depth of 8,000 meters, the most capable of such probes that the country has. The explorer, Urashima 8000, is an improved version of the Urashima vehicle, which can dive to a depth of 3,500 meters. Researchers hope that detailed study of the topography of the seabed such as around the Japan Trench can help uncover the mechanism behind the occurrence of giant earthquakes. The Urashima is an autonomous probe under development since 1998. It can navigate without a crew on board by following a route entered into a built-in computer and can avoid obstacles by itself. It was used to study landslides and volcanoes on the seabed. The Urashima 8000 is 10.7 meters long and weighs 7 tons. The design of the previous version of the probe was refined so that equipment on board can withstand the water pressure at 8,000 meters below sea level, while the propeller was modified to enable faster diving. According to JAMSTEC, the Urashima 8000 has reached a depth of about 6,600 meters so far in test dives. It is slated to dive to a depth of 8,000 meters in the Japan Trench off the Boso Peninsula in eastern Japan in July. In November, the probe will conduct a survey of the sea area where the magnitude 9.0 Great East Japan Earthquake occurred in March 2011. It is set to begin full-scale operations in fiscal 2026.
