Scientists embark on expedition onboard India's research vessel Sagar Nidhi

Scientists from Bangladesh and Mauritius embarked onboard India’s research vessel Sagar Nidhi on June 29 to participate in a joint ocean expedition, the Ministry of Earth Sciences announced on Monday. The event took place under the framework of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) between the nations of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The expedition will last nearly 35 days. The cruise is conducted by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

The scientists will collaboratively research ocean data to predict and manage changes in the marine environment and variations in ocean parameters.

The decision to embark on the expedition was a direct outcome of the maiden CSC Oceanographers and Hydrographers conference held at Goa and Hyderabad in November 2022.

Constructed at Fincantieri, Italy, ORV Sagar Nidhi is a multidisciplinary vessel operated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology. The 104 m-long vessel is powered by fully automatic diesel-electric propulsion.

The members of the Colombo Security Conclave include India, Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, while Bangladesh and Seychelles are the two observer nations.