China–Chile expedition explores Atacama Trench

January 20, 2026

China and Chile are preparing to launch a groundbreaking three-month deep-sea research expedition into the eastern Pacific Ocean, marking one of the most ambitious oceanographic missions ever conducted in the region. The international project aims to uncover new marine life, analyze deep-ocean ecosystems, and advance scientific understanding of earthquakes and tsunamis linked to tectonic plate movements.

The mission will begin this Monday aboard China’s advanced research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao, which will travel approximately 700 kilometers around the Atacama Trench, one of the deepest, least explored ocean trenches on the planet.

Largest deep-sea mission ever conducted in the eastern Pacific

Years in preparation, the expedition is jointly led by the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chile’s Millennium Institute of Oceanography at the University of Concepción. The ship will depart from the port city of Valparaíso, initiating what organizers describe as the largest deep-ocean scientific operation ever undertaken in the area.

The collaboration provides Chilean scientists access to cutting-edge deep-sea technology unavailable elsewhere, dramatically accelerating years of research into a single mission.

Advanced submersibles and 20 deep-sea dives

The expedition includes 33 research stations and nearly 20 manned and unmanned dives into hadal depths. Central to the mission is the deployment of Fendouzhe (Striver)—one of the world’s most advanced manned deep-sea submersibles, capable of descending beyond 10,000 meters.

Scientists will conduct direct observations, collect biological and geological samples, and map trench environments at depths exceeding 8,000 meters, offering unprecedented insight into Earth’s deepest ocean zones.

Unlocking the secrets of earthquakes and tsunamis

A major scientific objective is to study subduction processes along the Pacific seismic belt, where the Nazca Plate slides beneath the South American Plate. This region is among the most seismically active on Earth and plays a critical role in generating powerful earthquakes and tsunamis that impact not only South America but also East and Southeast Asia.

Understanding these processes could significantly improve global seismic risk models and disaster preparedness.

Search for new life and biomedical molecules

Beyond geophysics, the mission focuses on deep-sea biodiversity and the search for previously unknown organisms thriving in total darkness. Researchers are particularly interested in chemosynthetic life forms—organisms that derive energy from chemical reactions rather than sunlight.

These life forms may produce novel molecules with potential applications in biomedicine, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical research.

Scientists also aim to confirm whether the Atacama Trench acts as a major carbon sink, recycling organic material from the upper ocean and playing a hidden role in the global carbon cycle.

Cutting-edge oceanographic technology

To achieve these goals, the team will deploy a suite of high-tech instruments, including:

• Autonomous deep-sea landers

• Robotic sampling systems

• Advanced CTD sensors measuring conductivity, temperature, depth, salinity, and pH

• Real-time data transmission systems connected directly to the research vessel

The Striver submersible accommodates three crew members and is equipped with robotic arms, sample containers, and high-resolution imaging systems for precise scientific work at extreme depths.

Building on previous deep-sea breakthroughs

The Striver has already proven its capabilities during earlier expeditions, including a 2024 mission to the Kuril Trench, where it descended more than 9,500 meters and documented thriving ecosystems of ancient mollusks and marine worms in complete darkness.

Researchers hope to discover similar chemosynthetic communities in the Atacama Trench, further reshaping scientific understanding of life in extreme environments.

Global scientific collaboration backed by the United Nations

The expedition brings together multiple Chilean institutions, including the Catholic University of Chile, Austral University of Chile, University of Valparaíso, and Sernageomin, the country’s geological and mining authority.

It is also part of the Global Hadal Exploration Programme, a 10-year international initiative involving 16 countries and endorsed by the United Nations, aimed at systematically exploring Earth’s deepest ocean trenches.

A new chapter in ocean exploration

As scientists push deeper into the hadal zone, the China–Chile expedition represents a major leap forward in deep-sea exploration, marine biology, and earth science. By mapping uncharted depths and studying life forms that thrive without sunlight, the mission promises discoveries that could transform our understanding of the planet—from the ocean floor to global seismic systems.