Marine Ecosystems Research Department - jamstec japan agency ...

Japan Marine Science and Technology Center
Research Support Department
Nansei Islands. All tests were completed by March .
A few years have passed since SHINKAI was
built, so generally the equipment is beginning to show
its age, so it is believed that an equipment upgrading
program is urgently required.
() DOLPHIN-K
DOLPHIN-K undertook a total of dives consisting
of preliminary survey dives to confirm safety
for SHINKAI dives around the Nansei Islands,
Nankai Trough, and Izu-Ogasawara, and research
dives in Kagoshima Bay. On September ,
DOLPHIN-K completed its th and final dive in
the sea area around Ogasawara Island, bringing an end
to its operational life of years.
() HYPER-DOLPHIN
HYPER-DOLPHIN undertook a total of training
dives.
HYPER-DOLPHIN's support vessel was initially
KAIYO, but this was changed to NATSUSHIMA following
modifications during NATSUSHIMA's fiscal
statutory inspection in preparation for the implementation
of deep-sea research programs in fiscal .
() KAIKO
KAIKO undertook a total of dives consisting of
test/training dives in Nansei Islands, Suruga Bay,
and Izu-Ogasawara, and research dives in the
northwestern Pacific Ocean, offshore of Kushiro
Tokachi, Japan Trench, Nankai Trough, Mariana
Trench, and the western Philippine Sea.
Annual maintenance was carried out between
December , and March , .
() DEEP TOW
DEEP TOW was used on one research mission in
the Mariana sea area.
() UROV-K
UROV-K underwent sea trials in Sagami Bay and
the Izu-Ogasawara sea area.
() URASHIMA
URASHIMA conducted two sea trials in Suruga
Bay during which it achieved a deep-sea cruising distance
of .km with lithium-ion batteries.
Between October , and March ,
URASHIMA underwent annual maintenance and was
fitted with a new power source at the AUV maintenance
yard in the Marine Technology Research
Building. The lithium-ion secondary battery
URASHIMA had been powered by until fiscal
was replaced by a fuel cell. With the fitting of the fuel
cell, URASHIMA was also fitted with peripheral
equipment such as hydrogen occlusion alloy container
for fuel, and oxygen tanks.
() BENKEI
Annual maintenance on BENKEI was carried out
from October to March at the submersible
maintenance yard.
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