The manned submersible named “Jiao Long” is the first crewed submersible designed and built independently by China for deep-sea exploration. It will transport foreign scientists for their inaugural dive in the Western Pacific.
The vessel “Deep Sea One”, carrying the “Jiao Long” submersible, departed from the dock of the National Deep Sea Base Management Center in Qingdao, Shandong Province yesterday (August 10) to undertake the international expedition to the Western Pacific in 2024.
China’s Jiao Long Submersible.
The scientific exploration team consists of 60 members, including scientists from 12 Chinese institutions and universities, along with 11 researchers from countries such as Colombia, Spain, Australia, and Singapore. They will participate in this international expedition to the Western Pacific, which is expected to last for 45 days. This marks the first time the Chinese submersible “Jiao Long” will carry foreign scientists to explore deep-sea regions.
According to Xu Xuewei, Deputy Director of the National Deep Sea Base Management Center and chief scientist for this expedition, the team will survey the underwater mountain ranges in the Western Pacific. The waters in this area range from 1,500 to 3,000 meters deep, featuring high biodiversity and unique ecosystems, making it a priority area for future deep-sea biodiversity conservation efforts.
Xu further stated that the survey team will utilize equipment such as the manned submersible “Jiao Long”, deep-sea sampling devices, and deep-sea landing vessels to investigate underwater mountains and deep-sea biological communities, while also gaining a thorough understanding of the location, environmental characteristics, and species composition of the benthic habitats.
As the largest habitat on Earth, the deep-sea environment is heavily impacted by global climate change and human activities. However, there is still a significant lack of scientific understanding regarding deep-sea ecosystems, which poses a barrier to effective global management of deep-sea resources.
Upon returning, the “Deep Sea One” will bring the “Jiao Long” submersible to Hong Kong from September 23 to 25, during which an international seminar will be held to share research findings.
