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Ammon News - A three-week scientific expedition to the Gulf of Aqaba is still underway on OceanXplorer, an advanced ocean exploration and research vessel owned by OceanX.

On board the ship, scientists and researchers, including Jordanians, are exploring the depths of marine waters, identifying and classifying mega-organisms, researching coral reefs resistant to climate change, and studying samples from various geological layers in the Gulf of Aqaba.

Speaking from the ship's deck, Nayef Bakheet, Chairman of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority's Board of Commissioners, said on Monday that collaboration between Jordanian national institutions and universities and OceanX will help promote Aqaba Marine Reserve and its inclusion in the international network of marine reserves and world marine heritage.

He described the expedition as unprecedented, allowing Jordanian researchers to gain a better understanding of the marine environment in the Gulf of Aqaba while also raising awareness about the importance of its protection and sustainability.

Professor Vincent Pieribone, the vice chairman and chief scientist of OceanX, praised Jordanian stakeholders for their support of the OceanXplorer mission in the Gulf of Aqaba, which he said will deepen global understanding of resource conservation.

According to Pieribone, this mission will not only investigate the characteristics of Jordanian waters but will also offer insight into what the future of long-term marine environmental protection might entail.

Over the course of three weeks, the expedition will study deep-water biodiversity and coral reef systems in the region to understand why they are more resilient to climate change than anywhere else on the planet, providing an opportunity to gain critical knowledge on how to preserve coral reefs worldwide.

Using cutting-edge technology available on OceanXplorer, the scientific mission will also work on mapping coral reef sites and deep sea sites in the Gulf of Aqaba. As part of its young explorers program, which supports the upcoming generation of researchers in ocean sciences, seas, and environmental protection, the research ship is hosting 15 Jordanian students as well as students from other nations.

In order to give students a behind-the-scenes look at scientific research at OceanX and to give them a comprehensive understanding of the biodiversity of Jordanian waters, OceanX will also hold two live lectures in Arabic and English via Zoom and YouTube, delivered by Associate Professor at the University of Jordan, Dr. Zainab Arabiyat, and Science Operations Head at OceanX, Mattie Rodrigue.

The scientific lectures in the Gulf of Aqaba will be documented and shared with a local and global audience through OceanX's digital and social media platforms. OceanX's current mission in the Red Sea is the company's second in the region, following an exploration of the Gulf of Aqaba in 2020.

OceanX launched its Red Sea expedition from Saudi Arabia in February, focusing on biodiversity research, sea floor mapping, shallow water habitats and coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, megafauna, and deep water coral reefs.

OceanXplorer is the most technologically advanced research vessel, serving as a floating marine research platform that includes a media production studio.

The ship's cutting-edge media and technology, chemical, biological, and geophysical sampling tools, and centralized data system enable it to explore and document parts of the ocean never before visited by humans.