Republic of Korea, Japan exchange ocean sciences at Yeosu Port

KIOST holds event to unveil Japan’s manned research submersible ‘Shinkai 6500’

Japan’s deep sea exploration technology, which is considered among the best in the world, has been unveiled at Expo 2012 Yeosu Republic of Korea.

The Republic of Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST, President Kang Jung-keuk) held an exhibition of JAMSTEC’s manned submersible the Shinkai 6500 and a support ship for oceanic exploration, the YOKOSUKA, at Yeosu Port on the occasion of the “Expo 2012 Yeosu Republic of Korea’s JAMSTEC Week” (June 29 ？ July 1). JAMSTEC stands for the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.

The event involved the public showcasing of both the actual Shinkai 6500 and YOKOSUKA, an exhibition of deep sea organism samples collected using the survey ship, and photos of hydrothermal vents showcased for the first time in Republic of Korea.

The Shinkai 6500, which was unveiled in Republic of Korea for the first time, is considered one of the most advanced submersibles and holds the world record for deep sea diving (to the depth of 6,527 meters). Since its commission in 1989, the vessel has conducted a total of 1,302 dives in oceans around the world, including the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, through May of this year. The vessel also boasts more than 20 years of accident-free operation since its commission.

Commissioned in 1990, YOKOSUKA is the support ship for the Shinkai 6500. The ship is equipped with a large crane for launching the Shinkai 6500 into the sea. It is also installed with state-of-the-art instruments, including various undersea radio communication devices , a Acoustic Positioning System , and a video receiver . Since its inauguration, the ship has not only assisted survey activities conducted by deep sea submersibles, including the Shinkai 6500, but also produced undersea topographical maps through independent ocean surveys, while carrying out other far-reaching oceanic survey activities.

KOIST President Kang Jung-geuk remarked, “With the introduction of the Japanese survey vessels in Republic of Korea as a turning point, we hope to further expedite academic exchange between countries and between researchers.”

On June 28, KOIST recovered JAMSTEC’s Triton Buoy, which was drifting near the equator in the Southwest Pacific.

* Buoy: Oceanic survey instrument that floats on the water surface to gather diverse information, including climatic data, water temperature and location data of surrounding waters

The buoy was recovered at the request of JAMSTEC, which informed KOIST that a buoy was believed to have been damaged at a site around the waters where their general oceanic survey ship, Onnuri, was engaged in a survey mission. The recovery of the buoy is expected to constitute a great example of exchange and cooperation between Republic of Korea and Japan, along with the “JAMSTEC WEEK” event at the Port of Yeosu.

The Onnuri’s recovery of the Japanese buoy came after the Araon, a Korean icebreaker research ship, rescued the Russian fishing boat Sparta in December of last year. As such, these cases of international cooperation by South Korean research ships are expected to deeply impress others in the ocean science field worldwide, where exchange and cooperation is so critical.