Vancouver, BC, Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Deep Sea Minerals Corp. (CSE: SEAS) (OTCQB: DSEAF) (FSE: X45) (“Deep Sea Minerals” or the “Company”), a subsea mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing critical mineral opportunities from the deep ocean, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Handin as a Strategic Advisor to the Company.
Mr. Handin is a seasoned international business executive with over 27 years of leadership experience in the offshore maritime, transportation, and oilfield services sectors and currently serves as President of Patriot Maritime. Under Mr. Handin’s leadership, Patriot Maritime oversees a fleet of 23 vessels supporting major U.S. government clients, including the Military Sealift Command (MSC) and the Maritime Administration (MARAD), with responsibility spanning operations, safety, compliance, customer relations, and overall P&L performance. Mr. Handin previously served as Chief Operating Officer of Maersk Supply Service, overseeing global offshore operations including subsea projects and deep-sea mining–adjacent activities.
In his role as Strategic Advisor, Mr. Handin will provide high-level strategic advice to the Company’s executive team, drawing on his extensive experience in global maritime operations, offshore energy development, government and defense contracting, joint venture structuring, regulatory compliance, and large-scale project execution across multiple international jurisdictions. Mr. Handin’s insights will support the Company as it advances its exploration and development programs and engages with stakeholders across the industry.
“We are excited to welcome Mark Handin as a Strategic Advisor,” said James Deckelman, Chief Executive Officer of Deep Sea Minerals Corp. “Mark brings a skill set and experience base that are essential to the Company at this transformational moment in the critical minerals sector.”
Mr. Handin’s appointment is purely advisory in nature, and he will not assume any role as an officer or director of the Company.
Pursuant to the Company’s Stock Option Plan and subject to regulatory approval, the Company has granted 75,000 stock options (the “Options”) to Mr. Handin in connection with his appointment as Strategic Advisor to the Company. Each option is exercisable to acquire one common share in the capital of the Company (a “Share”) at an exercise price equal to the market price of the Shares on the date of grant, for a period of five (5) years from the date of grant, provided that Mr. Handin continues to provide services to the Company.
ABOUT DEEP SEA MINERALS CORP.
Deep Sea Minerals Corp. is a subsea mineral exploration and development company focused on evaluating opportunities to support the future supply of critical minerals through the acquisition, exploration, and development of deep-sea mineral assets.
The Company’s strategy is centered on identifying jurisdictions and geological settings with potential exposure to polymetallic nodule systems, which are recognized for containing combinations of metals that may be relevant to defense, industrial manufacturing, clean energy infrastructure, advanced electronics, and artificial intelligence-related supply chains. These seabed resources represent a largely undeveloped component of the global mineral supply base and are the subject of increasing policy, scientific, and regulatory attention worldwide.
As part of this process, the Company has commenced early-stage engagement with selected governments and regulatory bodies in the Pacific Ocean region to assess potential pathways for future exploration initiatives, subject to applicable international, national, and environmental frameworks.
For further information, please see the Company’s website: https://www.deepseamineralscorp.com
