On the morning of September 1, 2019, Mexico local time, the research vessel Xiangyanghong 10 completed the survey tasks of the first leg of segment A of the China Minmetals 2019 cruise and China Dayang Cruise 54, docking at Acapulco, Mexico, where a formal handover ceremony between the first and second legs was held on the pier.
On July 20, Xiangyanghong 10 had set sail from Zhoushan port in Zhejiang, crossing the Pacific in 43 days over a voyage of 8,276 nautical miles. Through the united efforts of all crew and expedition members and meticulous, efficient operations, the first leg of segment A of the China Minmetals 2019 cruise and China Dayang Cruise 54 successfully completed all of its survey tasks and produced rich survey results: 1. Sampling and analysis of polymetallic nodule samples showed that the nodules in the area feature high abundance and high grade. 2. A polymetallic nodule enrichment zone was confirmed in the southwestern part of the A-5 contract area, with nodule coverage of 40-60% along more than 20 kilometers of survey lines, expanding the resource enrichment area to 6,000 square kilometers. 3. The 6,000-meter-depth geotechnical in-situ tester independently developed by CRIMM was successfully applied in the China Minmetals contract blocks, obtaining seabed geotechnical parameters for the block for the first time.
In response to the cruise’s task requirements and the working conditions on board, the survey team designed and refined a rigorous and efficient set of operating procedures, setting a model for subsequent survey work. Over the whole leg, 16 professional skills training sessions and drills were carried out; after each operation, the survey team promptly gathered to summarize its experience and to identify and fill gaps in operating procedures, on-site command, equipment operation and personnel coordination, forming standard templates and model examples.
During the transit, the temporary Party committee actively organized activities, carrying out “staying true to the original aspiration, keeping the mission firmly in mind” themed education in various forms, including study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, revisiting the Party constitution, and mass singing of patriotic songs, continuously strengthening Party members’ Party consciousness and rallying their strength to “find gaps and ensure implementation”. Recreational and sporting activities such as basic skills competitions, dumpling making, tug-of-war, photography and poetry contests, along with five sessions of the “Xiang 10 Lecture Hall”, not only enriched the expedition members’ spare time but also promoted learning and exchange among them and strengthened the team’s cohesion.
