Key points
- In 2022, TMC and Allseas deployed the pilot nodule collector vehicle from the Hidden Gem vessel and lowered it to the seafloor in open sea conditions.
- The vehicle drove more than one kilometer along the seafloor while a range of critical functions were tested.
- The trial confirmed the collector’s ability to operate in pressure and temperature conditions similar to those in the NORI-D Area of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
