Russian research vessel Akademik Oparin. VNA/VNS Photo

KHÁNH HOÀ – The Russian research vessel Akademik Oparin docked at Nha Trang port in the south-central province of Khánh Hoà on May 1, kicking off the 9th joint marine survey between the Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The mission, running from May 1-25, is part of a cooperation roadmap between VAST and its Russian counterpart in the 2018-2025 period. It underscores a deepening scientific partnership as the two nations are celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Akademik Oparin, a 75.5-metre vessel designed for biochemical and biodiversity research, will serve as the floating base for a team of 30 Vietnamese and Russian scientists. Over the next three weeks, they will collect samples from coastal and deep-sea stations in southern Vietnamese waters, following a meticulously planned scientific agenda.

The research targets pressing environmental concerns like marine pollution, microplastics, persistent organic pollutants, and the use of remote sensing to support environmental monitoring and aquaculture. The findings will be unveiled at a scientific symposium scheduled for May 27 at the VAST’s Institute of Oceanography in Nha Trang city.

Assoc. Prof. Đào Việt Hà, director of the institute, this is the fifth time Akademik Oparin has docked at Nha Trang port since 2005. This mission also marks the fifth occasion that the institute has been entrusted by the VAST to lead this crucial marine survey.

Weighing over 2,440 tonnes, Akademik Oparin is equipped with advanced instruments for long-duration deep-sea expeditions and features onboard laboratories capable of immediate sample processing during the voyage. VNS