German Chancellor Angela Merkel christened a brand new research vessel in July. In attendance was CAGE director, Professor Jürgen Mienert, who is a member of the advisory board for the ship.
Text: Maja Sojtaric Photo: Jürgen Mienert
− RV Sonne will be used for research in biology, geology and mineral resources in the deep sea. New deep-sea technologies allow for research on life at the deep-seafloor of the ocean. The aim is to understand how ecosystems are functioning in the deep sea, so that any future mining for minerals at the seabed can be done sustainably and responsibly, says Professor Mienert.
RV Sonne is a brand new ship, 116 metres long and has cost €124 million to build. A 35 person strong crew will make it possible for up to 40 scientists to do around the clock research aboard the vessel. Professor Mienert is a marine geologist with decades of experience aboard research vessels such as RV Sonne. He is happy that investments are being made in marine research for gaining future knowledge about the ocean.
− Research vessels are as important as satellites, so it is a special day when a country invests in them.
Jürgen Mienert is also a member of the advisory board for two other German research vessels: Meteor and Maria S. Merian. He is appointed by Germany´s Federal Ministry for Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung) and the German Science Foundation.
