From September 29 – November 20, 2023, 6 CSSF team members supported the INDEX2023 ship expedition of the Germany’s Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR; Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources) in the Central Indian Ocean. The focus of this mission to conduct geological and environmental investigations in an area licensed under the regulation of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for the exploration of polymetallic massive sulfides as part of the ongoing INDEX project. Participants included scientists and professionals from the University of Hamburg, Hafen City University Hamburg, Laurentian University, Christian-Albrechts University (CAU) Kiel, the Scottish Association for Marine Science, Integrated Environmental Solutions (INES) and the BGR.

Read more: BGR INDEX2023 Expedition

From July 13 – August 10, 2023, 3 CSSF team members supported Amundsen Science in piloting the CCGS Amundsen’s ROV, ASTRID (Amundsen Science Technology for Remote Innovation and Discoveries).

Read more: Contract Work Piloting the ASTRID ROV

From August 6 – September 8, 2023, 9 CSSF team members supported the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) aboard the R/V Isabu for the Western Pacific Seamount 2nd Exploration Expedition. The expedition was part of the ‘Selection of prospective mining area for cobalt-rich ferromanganese crust in western Pacific seamounts: 3D resource estimation and environmental impact evaluation’ project, funded by the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. An additional project that was conducted aboard the R/V Isabu, ‘Development of technology for designating and managing ocean conservation areas using AI deep learning’, was conducted by KIOST. Participants were largely from KIOST but included one representative from Inha University. KIOST’s objectives were to: 1) to select the first mining area, scheduled for 2026 and 2) to conduct environmental research as mandated by the International Seabed Authority. Work requiring the use of ROPOS included: collection of imagery, as well as collection of prospective mineral resources and biological samples on and around the selected seamounts.

On May 28, 2023, seven Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility team members assisted scientists from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region in the exploration of seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold seeps off the coast of Vancouver Island, work which was conducted aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship, the CCGS John P. Tully, as part of the Northeast Pacific Deep-sea Exploration Project (NEPDEP). Researchers from several institutions participated, including principal investigators, graduate students and professionals from the University of Victoria, Dalhousie University, Memorial University, the University of Gothenburg, the Hakai Institute, Ocean Networks Canada, the Royal British Columbia Museum, Natural Resources Canada, the GEOMAR Hemholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and Scripps Institute of Oceanography. ROPOS provided access to six unique habitats, the: Explorer Seamount (‘Spongetopia’ & ‘Coraltropolis’), Explorer Ridge Hydrothermal Vents (‘Recordbreaker’ & ‘Old Area’), Tuzo Wilson Seamount NEPDEP 58 Nursery, Winona Cold Seeps (‘Twins’ & ‘Blowout’), Deep NEPDEP 35 Seamount and Hesquiat Slope Cold Seeps. Highlights of our mission included: coming across a whale fall, capturing the birthing of a Pacific white skate (Bathyraja spinosissima) on video and a mother octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) fending off king crabs from her eggs.

Read more: NEPDEP 2023 Expedition