Completing Training in China, Two IPB University Academics Are Ready to Explore the Deep Waters of Krakatau-Sunda Strait

Two lecturers from IPB University’s Department of Marine Science and Technology (ITK), Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science (FPIK), namely Prof Agus S. Atmadipoera and Dr Meutia S. Ismet, recently participated in a technical training program on deep-sea exploration in China.

This training is part of the preparation for the China–Indonesia Deep-Sea Habitat Expedition, an initiative resulting from the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IPB University and the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO), China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, in the fields of marine research, education, and the exchange of researchers and students.

“This training is expected to serve as an important foundation for planning the deep-sea habitat and marine life exploration expedition, particularly in the waters around Krakatau-Sunda Strait, which is scheduled to take place in October 2025,” said Prof Agus.

The training was officially opened by FIO Vice Director Prof Wang Zongling; Shanghai Maritime University Vice President Prof Yan Wei; and CRRC-SMD Shanghai Vice General Manager Dr Tian Hao. 

CRRC-SMD Shanghai is a leading global manufacturer of underwater drone technology (Remotely Operated Vehicle–ROV), with a technology center in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

“During the training, we received in-depth instruction on ROV technology and operations, deep-sea habitat exploration techniques, and methods for analyzing deep-sea organism samples,” Prof Agus shared his experience. 

The activity, he added, also included visits to CRRC-SMD’s ROV production facilities in Shanghai and the Lan Hai 101 Oceanographic Fisheries Research Vessel operating in Qingdao. 

“During the practical sessions, we were given the opportunity to operate a full ROV simulator with technical control panels under the supervision of professional ROV pilot instructors. Meanwhile, at the FIO headquarters in Qingdao, participants attended technical lectures on research methodologies for deep-sea biological ecology,” he explained.

Furthermore, he revealed that one of the speakers, Prof Xuelei Zhang, also discussed the results of a marine expedition in the hydrothermal regions of the central and western Indian Ocean.

In addition to IPB University, the training was also attended by researchers from the Deep-Sea Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in Jakarta and lecturers from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences at Jenderal Soedirman University in Purwokerto. (*/Rz) (IAAS/LAN)