From August 14 – September 9, 2025, 8 CSSF team members supported the Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) aboard the R/V Isabu for their MIRAE 2025 Expedition. The science team’s objectives were to implement their new drilling program for subsea crust. [Add: More context from the science team]. Our team’s main objective was to drill as many crust core samples as possible.

From November 8 – December 4, 2025, 9 CSSF team members supported the Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) aboard the R/V Isabu for their 2024 Pacific Ocean Expedition, which is part of a continuing program to survey remote seamounts for rare earth minerals in the Western Pacific Ocean. [Add: More context from the science team]. Our team’s objectives were to both conduct video transects and execute crust coring at the seamounts of interest using our Korean Remotely Operated Coring System (KROCS).

From May 3 – June 13, 2025, 8 CSSF team members supported the Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) aboard the R/V Isabu for their 2025 Indian Ocean Expedition. The science team’s objective was to estimate the depth distribution of hydrothermal ore bodies on eight previously identified massive sulfide deposits along the Central Indian Ridge. To do this, our teams were to conduct a type of specially designed ROV-based Controlled-Source Electromagnetic Method (CSEM) survey that was tailored to the study area and tested for the very first time using ROPOS. This initiative was a collaboration between the Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility, Scripps Institute of Oceanography and Ocean Floor Geophysics (based out of Vancouver, Canada).

Read more: KIOST’s 2025 Indian Ocean Expedition

From August 12 – September 2, 2024, 6 CSSF team members supported Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Pacific Region (DFO Pacific) aboard the CCGS John P. Tully for the Northeast Pacific Deep-sea Exploration Project’s (NEPDEP) 2024 expedition. The focus of this expedition was to discover, explore and monitor deep-sea ecosystems. Specifically, this included ‘Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas’ in existing, planned and potential marine protected areas (MPAs). In addition to members of DFO, ship- and shore-based participants included scientists and professionals from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Canadian BioGenome Project, Council of the Haida Nation, Hakai Institute, NOAA Fisheries, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Royal BC Museum, University of Calgary, University of Gothenburg, University of Victoria and University of Washington.

Read more: NEPDEP 2024 Expedition