Chinese research vessel completes 2017 deep sea exploration

Chinese research vessel, Ocean No. 6, on Tuesday finished a 219-day deep sea scientific exploration in the western Pacific Ocean and returned to the city of Dongguan in Guangdong Province.

A staff worker shows a geological sample collected during a marine scientific research after return in Dongguan, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 30, 2018. Chinese ocean scientific research vessel Haiyang-6 returned to Dongguan Tuesday after a 219-day deep-sea geological survey and marine research. [Photo/Xinhua]

He Gaowen, chief scientist on board the ship, said the researchers sailed nearly 53,000 km and used a comprehensive geological and geophysical survey method to collect geological sampling from 269 survey stations and environmental sampling from 111 survey stations.

The researchers have obtained 10,143 km of geophysical line data from four research areas within a 200,000 square kilometers sea area in the western Pacific Ocean, which has helped lay the foundation for future resource evaluation, He said.

Wang Yan, deputy director of China Geological Survey Bureau, said the research undertaken by Ocean No. 6 has accumulated valuable experience in conducting comprehensive geological, geophysical, and environmental survey operations in the deep ocean.