artex 2023

The first Cook Island [SBMA] led expedition in the Cook Islands.

Artex 2023 (Aitutaki Rarotonga Transect Expedition) marked a significant milestone as the first deep-sea research expedition between Aitutaki and Rarotonga. Organized by the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) and funded by the UK-based DEEPEND Project, the two-day mission utilized the Anuanua Moana research vessel to conduct two remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives and four boxcore deployments. A notable achievement was the simultaneous deployment of the ROV and boxcorer—a first for the Cook Islands—allowing for efficient data collection within the limited timeframe.