On the morning of August 10, 2024, the 2024 Western Pacific International Voyage Scientific Expedition Team organized by the China Ocean Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources and implemented by the National Deep Sea Base Management Center set sail from Qingdao, Shandong. The "Deep Sea One" ship carried the "Jiaolong" manned submersible and started a 45-day marine investigation.
Seamounts are a typical deep-sea ecosystem and environment that contains the mysteries of deep-sea life. During this voyage, the Jiaolong will conduct 18 dives in three operating areas in the western Pacific to investigate seamount biological groups and understand the location, environmental characteristics and biological community composition of seamounts.
As the first international voyage under the "Digital Deep-Sea Typical Habitats" major scientific plan, the Jiaolong will carry foreign scientists for the first time. Chinese scientists will cooperate with 11 foreign scientists to conduct a comprehensive survey of marine biodiversity and environment to promote the conservation and sustainable use of deep-sea biodiversity.