On July 19, 2024, CTC went on an exciting adventure to visit the OceanX research vessel – the OceanXplorer – in Benoa Port, Bali. This visit offered a unique glimpse into the technologies and pioneering research efforts being conducted on one of the world’s most advanced marine exploration vessels.

OceanX is an ocean exploration initiative founded by Mark Dalio and Ray Dalio, founders of investment firm Bridgewater Associates, an initiative by Dalio Philanthropies. OceanX is a “mission to explore the ocean and bring it back to the world”. One of their missions, in addition to ocean research, is to empower young people around the world by breaking down the barriers to the transformational educational experiences they need to advance the future of ocean studies.

The tour was led by OceanX Education Team and attended by students from Bali and several NGOs members, including CTC, WWF Indonesia, and Marine Buddies Bali. At the very beginning of the tour, there were photos of the history of the vessel  before it became  the OceanX. Then, the participants were allowed to enter the control room, where two OceanX team members welcomed     participants     and     shared     their experiences on board the OceanXplorer. The tour then continued to the dry lab, wet lab and the mini-submarine place. The participants were very curious about OceanX’s mini submarine – how it launches, how long it works underwater and how fast it goes. OceanX has two mini-submarines,  one for taking samples underwater and the other for documentation.

The tour was led by OceanX Education Team and attended by students from Bali and several NGOs members from WWF Indonesia and Marine Buddies Bali. At the very beginning of the tour, there were photos of the history of the vessel  before it became  the OceanX. Then, the participants were allowed to enter the control room, where two OceanX team members welcomed participants and shared their experiences on board the OceanXplorer. The tour then continued to the dry lab, wet lab and the mini-submarine place. The participants were very curious about OceanX’s mini submarine – how it launches, how long it works underwater and how fast it goes. OceanX has two mini-submarines,  one for taking samples underwater and the other for documentation.

The tour continued to the eDNA lab and wrapped up in the media and communication room. In this room, all the participants were shown a short video of the OceanXplorer’s journey. It concluded with a group photo of all the participants and the OceanX Education team in front of the vessel. Overall, the tour provided us with interesting information about each part of the research vessel and its cutting-edge technology to survey diverse marine environments, including deep-sea, shallow and coastal habitats.  

“Amazing   facilities   for   the   research   and   documentation. We look forward to the documentary movie.”  Said Syenit from WWF Indonesia

OceanX Education aims to inspire the next generation of ocean explorers, problem solvers, advocates, and, storytellers by increasing young people’s opportunities to learn about and engage with the ocean. By joining this tour, we hope that CTC team and the young participants gained a deeper appreciation of the ocean’s wonders and the critical role they play in its sustainable preservation. This experience is not only about observing advanced marine research but also about igniting a passion for ocean conservation within the next generation.

Writer: Adam Putra
Photos: Adam Putra/CTC, Pramatenya Putri/CTC, Farhan Bachtier/CTC, OceanX