NEWS

Modalities to deepen cooperation in “Deep Ocean Mission” was recently discussed

DEEP OCEAN MISSION

• India’s first manned ocean mission
• Aims to send men into the deep sea in a submersible vehicle for deep-sea ocean exploration and mining of rare minerals.
• Resources such as polymetallic manganese nodules, Gas hydrates, hydrothermal sulfides, and cobalt crusts will be explored which are usually located at a depth between 1000 to 5500 meters.
• Undertaken by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), under MoES.
• India has been allocated a site of 75,000sq km in the Central Indian Ocean Basin by the International Sea Bed Authority (ISA) for the exploration of polymetallic nodules from the seabed in a 15-year contract.
• The estimated resource potential of polymetallic nodules is 380 million tonnes through preliminary studies.
• Major components in these nodules are manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt.
• The six components of the mission are-
  • Development of technologies for deep-sea mining and manned submersible.
  • Development of ocean climate change advisory services.
  • Technological innovations for sustainable use of marine bio-resources.
  • Deep ocean survey and exploration
  • Energy production from the ocean and offshore based desalination
  • Advanced marine station for ocean biology.