On July 14, 2018, the Xiangyanghong 03 research vessel departed Xiamen for the Pacific Ocean to carry out China Ocean Voyage 50, a scientific expedition covering the China Minmetals polymetallic nodule contract area and the COMRA (China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association) polymetallic nodule contract area. The 150-day ocean expedition, with a planned distance of about 15,000 nautical miles, is expected to be completed in December 2018. Lin Shanqing, member of the Party leadership group of the Ministry of Natural Resources; Li Bo of the China Ocean Affairs Administration; Zhang Yigong, vice mayor of Xiamen; Wang Chunsheng, director of the Xiamen Ocean and Fisheries Bureau; and Shi She, deputy chief engineer of China Minmetals, attended the departure ceremony and delivered remarks. Leaders and representatives of the participating institutions and family members of the expedition members also attended.
The voyage was approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and is jointly organized and implemented by the Third Institute of Oceanography of the State Oceanic Administration, China Minmetals Corporation and the Second Institute of Oceanography of the State Oceanic Administration. It will carry out key tasks of China’s deep-sea strategic program, the Jiaolong Explores the Sea project, covering deep-sea resource exploration and development as well as deep-sea environmental monitoring and protection. It will fulfill the contract obligations China has signed with the International Seabed Authority, conduct deep-ocean resource and environmental surveys and research, and strengthen China’s voice in international deep-sea areas.
The roughly 160 expedition members come from more than 10 Chinese institutions, including the Third Institute of Oceanography, the Second Institute of Oceanography, China Minmetals, Changsha Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Co., Ltd. (CRIMM), the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Beijing Lihai Technology Co., Ltd., the Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute, the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Shandong University of Science and Technology, Jilin University, Zhejiang Wanli University, Zhejiang University, Xiamen University and Tianjin University of Science and Technology.
