Oslo, Norway – A new partnership will offer exciting opportunities to explore the deep ocean and engage the public. With REV Ocean’s new submersible DSV Aurelia aboard OCEEF’s historic research vessel the RV Odyssey we will enable scientists to reach some of the most diverse and vulnerable ecosystems in the deep ocean, including seamounts, cold-water coral reefs, sponge gardens and volcanic springs called hydrothermal vents.
Aurelia’s first mission is to the Indian Ocean to support work by Nekton and the Government of the Maldives to contribute to establishing a baseline of marine life and the state of the ocean in the Maldives from the surface to 1000 metres deep. The Maldivian and international team’s research will include documenting twilight zone reefs around the archipelago. Even though these reefs lie below the depths to which SCUBA divers swim they host reef-forming corals and a host of other life, including many undocumented species of corals, fish and seaweeds. The work will assist the Maldivian Government to manage its marine environment and enable Maldivian scientists to obtain training in deep-water ecology and conservation management.
“Due to the delay of the REV Ocean vessel, we have been searching for interim partners to deploy the sub. I am thrilled to team up with OCEEF and Nekton and to be able to put our submarine to good use. Documenting vulnerable ecosystems in the deep sea and potentially discovering new important species in the deep, will hopefully contribute to better protection of these essential deep-sea ecosystems. The Odyssey is well suited for specialized missions that will contribute to our shared goals of ocean education, exploration, marine science, and conservation,” says Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean
The sub is fitted with a suite of scientific sensors, cameras, and sampling equipment which provide the global science community with unique opportunities to explore and document deep ocean ecosystems. The partnership is also reaching out to several charitable, scientific and educational organisations that share interests in ocean conservation and solutions.
The Odyssey has previously contributed to marine exploration through missions to film the giant squid live in the wild for the first time, the first deep-sea tagging of a marine animal (a bluntnose sixgill shark), and filming of a BAFTA-Award-winning episode of Blue Planet II.
“We are honored and excited to join forces with REV Ocean and operate Aurelia out of Odyssey,” says OCEEF founder and CEO Alex Moukas.“ OCEEF aims to help shape a world where people appreciate the importance of the ocean, take action to protect it and ensure its sustainability by educating a new generation of ocean stewards.
“Aurelia is the most capable submersible out there, and we are looking forward to working closely with REV Ocean and deploying the sub in fascinating missions in order to change hearts, transform minds, and advance awareness about ocean conservation and research.”
Aurelia will collect large quantities of data on marine life, which will be deposited in the Ocean Data Platform, hosted by HUB Ocean as well as being distributed to relevant existing global databases such as the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) for recording observations of marine life.
About REV Ocean:
REV Ocean is a not-for-profit company created with one overarching purpose and ambition: To make the ocean healthy again. To do that, REV Ocean works to improve our understanding of the ocean and to get key stakeholders – decision-makers, researchers, business and civil society – aligned with that understanding and turn that knowledge into concrete solutions. Any profit generated from its projects will be reinvested into its work for a healthier ocean. The company was established in 2017 and is funded by Norwegian businessman Kjell Inge Røkke.
About OCEEF:
The Ocean Conservation Exploration and Education Foundation (OCEEF) leverages technology to change hearts, transform minds, and advance awareness about ocean conservation and research. OCEEF believes that our ocean, rich with wonders yet to be discovered, is critical to our future. Using world-class technology, they will deliver multiplying curricular and gamified ocean-learning experiences to mobile devices and virtual worlds to reach students across the globe. They currently operate from the historic research vessel Odyssey.
About Nekton:
Nekton’s mission is to accelerate our knowledge and protection of the ocean. Our strength comes from the sum of our parts, from 60+ organisations working together, under the Nekton Alliance for our one shared client, the ocean. Nekton jointly undertakes applied research and knowledge exchange expeditions with ocean nations to meet their national conservation priorities – aligned to the global target of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.