With strong support from the Deep Ocean Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) hosted a welcoming ceremony today for the inaugural visit of Chinese research vessel Shenhai Yihao (Deep Sea No. 1) and the manned submersible Jiaolong to Hong Kong, following the vessel’s successful expedition in the Western Pacific. Co-led by HKUST, the expedition is part of the first international deep-sea metascience program, “Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats (DEPTH),” backed by the mainland government, with the participation of scientists from various countries.
As an initiative under the United Nations’ Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (UN Ocean Decade program), the program aims to examine unique deep-sea ecosystems, biodiversity and mineral resources in the region.
Dozens of officials from the mainland and HKSAR, lawmakers, secondary and primary school students, along with distinguished guests from various sectors, gathered at the Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui to welcome Shenhai Yihao and Jialong. Among the attendees were CHEUK Wing-Hing, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government; the Hon. Starry LEE, Legislative Councilor and member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress; Prof. Nancy IP, President of HKUST; XU Haifeng, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Risk Officer of Bank of China (Hong Kong); as well as various lawmakers and senior officials from the HKSAR government.
Other guests from the mainland included WU Changbin and TANG Dongmei, Director-General and Deputy Director-General respectively of the Deep Ocean Affairs Administration; as well as senior officials from the National Deep-Sea Base Management Center. The guests later joined a tour of the vessel and listened to presentations on the expedition’s research outcomes.
The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, CHEUK Wing-Hing warmly welcomed Deep Sea No. 1 and Jiaolong on their first visit to Hong Kong. Mr. Cheuk said, “While various sectors in Hong Kong are gearing up for celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the visit of the manned submersible to Hong Kong at this point of time not only signifies the great strides in deep-sea manned submersible technology our country has made, but also demonstrates the Central Government’s care and support for Hong Kong in deep-sea research development and nature conservation. I hope various sectors in Hong Kong would make good use of this opportunity to better understand the development of marine science. I also hope more young people will be inspired to join international deep-sea big science projects for building an ocean community of shared future and contributing to eco-environmental protection.”
In his remarks, Director-General Wu Changbin congratulated the successful completion of the 2024 Western Pacific International Cruise and expressed his highest respect to all the participating scientists and crew members of the voyage. He said, "The expedition attracted scientists from all five continents and marks the first time Jiaolong has brought foreign scientists onboard to explore the deep sea. This demonstrates the collaboration and knowledge sharing between China and other countries in deep-sea exploration that drives future development. The successful voyage not only enhances our scientific understanding of deep-sea biodiversity and ecosystems but also contributes important data to global marine science research, reinforcing our determination to advance the DEPTH metascience program."
HKUST President Prof. Nancy Ip also extended her warm congratulations on Shenhai Yihao's successful completion of its research expedition. She said, "Thanks to the numerous opportunities provided by our nation, more Hong Kong scientists have been able to participate in large-scale national research projects in recent years, which has helped them gain invaluable experience. We are deeply honored to have helped coordinate and manage an international research team for the UN Ocean Decade program led by China. This not only promotes Hong Kong's engagement in deep-sea research and international affairs, but also further enhances our national impact in this area. In the days ahead, HKUST will host a series of academic and educational activities to showcase our national capacity in deep-sea research, while raising public awareness of marine conservation to promote sustainable development.”
The project is the first deep-sea initiative under the UN Ocean Decade program that was led by the Chinese government. It was also the first time an international research team has participated in the design, sampling and research work of a Chinese-led expedition. The team was formed by Chair Professor QIAN Peiyuan from the HKUST Department of Ocean Science and Division of Life Science. He was also the Chairperson of the organizing committee for Jiaolong's visit.
The team comprises 11 scientists from different countries and jurisdictions: three from Hong Kong and eight from Canada, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Mexico, Colombia, Bangladesh and Nigeria. Additionally, there are seven researchers from marine research institutions in Mainland China.
During the 45-day voyage, the international team conducted biodiversity surveys and other scientific activities in the Western Pacific. Key project tasks included observing and photographing marine life distribution from the slope to the summit of the typical seamount, collecting biological water and geological samples, gathering environmental data, and testing various functions of the submersible. It was also the first time for the manned submersible Jiaolong to carry international scientists who collected biological and ecological samples in the deep sea. These samples will be transported back later to the laboratories for further analysis, fostering international cooperation in deep-sea biodiversity research.
To enhance public awareness of the nation's deep-sea research achievements and foster young people's interest in scientific inquiry, HKUST has organized a series of marine science educational activities in collaboration with the Deep Ocean Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Bank of China (Hong Kong) since August. These activities included a voyage departure ceremony on August 10, staged in Qingdao and virtually witnessed by participants in Hong Kong, as well as a regional interactive session called the Deep-Sea Classroom conducted earlier this month, which allowed 80 primary and secondary students from Hong Kong and dozens of secondary students from Qingdao to learn of scientists’ work through direct online conversations with researchers aboard the vessel.
Over the next two days, HKUST will host academic public lecture, seminar and roundtable forum at the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Bank of China Tower to promote sustainable ocean development across different sectors of the society.
