Chinese research vessel embarks on 240-day expedition

Beijing: A Chinese research vessel today embarked on a 240-day expedition with a group of scientists in the Pacific Ocean to conduct geological surveys that will help China in utilising seabed resources and testing the latest deep-sea technology.

The team also included five foreign scientists from Burkina Faso, the Cook Islands, Ghana, Mexico and Papua New Guinea who will be trained by Chinese scientists, He Gaowen, chief scientist of the expedition was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

The vessel departed from China's southern province of Guangdong, heading for the Western Pacific to conduct deep-sea geological surveys for climate change, biological and environmental research, the report said.

The surveys will help China in international efforts to utilise seabed resources and test the latest deep-sea technology.

The vessel has on board a remote-control underwater vehicle "Haima," (sea horse) to sample cobalt-rich seabed crusts and other materials.