National Research and Innovation Agency Adds Ocean Exploration Research Vessel

BRIN research vessel. (ANTARA/HO-Humas BRIN)

JAKARTA - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) will add a new ocean cruising research vessel to strengthen marine exploration and research activities.

"We are adding new research vessels that can be ocean-going", said Head of BRIN, Laksana Tri Handoko, at the inauguration of the Oceanographic Research Integrated Laboratory (LATERIO) as reported by Antara on Tuesday, February 22.

According to him, the additional procurement of an ocean-going research vessel will be carried out with financial support from foreign loans and/or grants from the French development bank, Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD).

Handoko said the new ocean-going research vessel will make it easier for researchers to conduct deep-sea explorations and map out detailed seabed profiles.

With the new research vessel, he continued, researchers would be able to take samples from the deepest sea area in Indonesia, namely the Banda Sea, which is up to 7,700 meters deep.

According to him, the research vessel will support efforts to assess marine biota stocks, deep-sea research, bathymetry mapping, to mining exploration.

He said BRIN seeks to improve marine research support facilities and strengthen the capacity of human resources involved in marine research.

"We will strengthen the research vessel fleet, not only the fleet, but also the instruments and people, and this must be done quickly to be able to immediately take advantage of natural resources, especially those from our seas", said Handoko.