This afternoon, the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) hosted a ceremony at the Institute of Oceanography in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, to welcome the scientific research vessel named Academician Oparin, marking the commencement of the 9th collaborative marine survey with the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FEBRAS).
A group of 30 scientists from Vietnam and Russia commenced the 9th collaborative marine survey in the waters of Vietnam, scheduled from May 1 to May 25.
Over the course of nearly a month, the survey team will collect field samples in coastal and deep sea areas in the southern waters of Vietnam, with stations and research points that have been agreed upon.
The survey will use the Academician Oparin, one of the Russian Federation’s specialized research vessels on biochemistry and biodiversity. The 75.5-meter long research vessel, displacing over 2,400 tons, offers operational capacity for 30 crew members and a scientific complement of 36. Featuring five integrated laboratories and a suite of advanced instruments for deep-sea diving and long-duration sample acquisition, the vessel is well-equipped for extensive marine research.
Director of the Institute of Oceanography Associate Professor Dao Viet Ha said that this survey aims to update and supplement data on biodiversity, environmental quality and marine biological resources, and collect marine and environmental samples for biochemistry, microbiology research and evaluate the potential of biological compounds from the sea.
The research teams will concentrate on analyzing key factors related to marine pollution, including the presence and accumulation of microplastics and persistent organic compounds, as well as developing remote sensing data to support environmental monitoring and aquaculture. Findings from the surveys will be presented at an upcoming scientific conference.
Under the framework of agreements between the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, eight survey missions have been carried out in Vietnamese waters by the research vessel Academician Oparin.
The ninth collaborative marine survey will extend the series of joint initiatives that commenced in 2005, enhancing the enduring, effective, and reliable scientific partnership between the two countries' Academies of Sciences. This event coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation (1950 - 2025).
