Remotely Operable Vehicle (ROV)-(ROSUB 6000) have successfully reached the maximum depth of 5256m and have sampled manganese nodules. This is for the first time ROV has gone beyond the depth of 5000 m in Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB).

            The Qualification trials of Remotely Operable Vehicle (ROV) – (ROSUB 6000) at Poly Metallic Nodule (PMN) site in Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) onboard Ocean Research Vessel Sagar Nidhi started from Mangalore on 1^st April 2010 and conducted the ROV initial trials up to 1250m depth. Sea was rough with sea state 5. The first deep water trial was conducted on 14^th April 2010 at water depth of 5290 m. An average descent speed of 25 m/min was maintained during this operation. All systems were tested at 50 m and 3000 m water depth before reaching 5000 m. When ROV reached the maximum depth of 5256m, certain electrical problems were noticed but they were rectified after bringing  ROV  back to the deck.

            Integrated system checks were performed. ROV was redeployed at the same location on 17 April 2007 at 0800 h. ROV reached the sea bed at a depth of 5289 m at 1100 h. The various sub systems of the ROV were tested and qualified at that depth. Video cameras were turned on and pictures of sea bed were taken.

            After capturing video pictures of the bottom, ROV was lifted to an altitude of 10 m from the seabed and ROV was undocked from the Tether Management System (TMS). ROV multi-beam sonar was switched on after undocking the ROV at 5280 m water depth and bathymetry data was collected along with back scatter multi-beam data. ROV position data was obtained with Inertial Navigation System assisted by Doppler velocity Log (DVL). ROV was successfully docked back to TMS. The attached corer could sample a few manganese nodules as shown in picture.

            The objective of this deep water sea trial was to qualify the unmanned work class ROV - ROSUB 6000, developed by National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in association with EDBOE (Experimental Design Bureau of Oceanological Engineering ), Russia, at 5000 meter water depth at Poly Metallic Nodule (PMN) site at CIOB (12⁰38.98’ S Latitude and 75⁰55.98’ E Longitude approx. 2000 km south of Kanyakumari).

The brief specifications of ROV – ROSUB 6000 are as follows:

            Data such as temperature, sound velocity, conductivity, and density and Dissolved oxygen were collected during the trial.  ROV was an hour below 5000 m. Thus the objective of qualifying the ROSUB 6000 at PMN site at maximum depth available has been achieved.

            India has been allotted about 75,000 sq km area in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) by the International Sea Bed Authority (ISBA) of UN, for harnessing polymetallic nodules (Mn, Ni, Cu, Co) which are at about 6000 m depth. The total resources estimated are of the order of 380 million metric tons. Deep sea technologies are being developed for observation and exploration of the mineral wealth. One of such technologies include development of remotely operable vehicle (ROV) equipped with cameras and mechanical devices. Such a submersible has been developed at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). (See Infographics for Pictures and Graphics)

KP

Click here to see Remotely Operable Vehicle (ROV) and Tether Management System (TMS) on board Vessel Sagar Nidhi conducting deep water operation to harness polymetallic nodules (Mn, Ni, Cu, Co) in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB)

Click here to see Remotely Operable Vehicle (ROV) reached the sea bed at the depth of 5289m, various sub-systems of the ROV were tested and qualified at that depth

Click here to see Video Cameras on Remotely Operable Vehicle(ROV)on board vessel Sagar Nidhi were turned on during qualification trial at Poly Metallic Nodule(PMN)site in Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB).This is an underwater depth

Click here to see The attached cover sampled a few manganese nodules at Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB)