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AKARTA: The success of the Indonesia-US joint deep sea exploration can open up opportunities for similar joint research in the future, an official says.

Last year, Indonesia and the US conducted joint exploration in the deep sea off the Sangihe-Talaud islands. Indonesia used the ship Baruna Jaya IV, which can take samples in shallow water, while the US employed Okeanos, which can explore in depths of up to 2,000 meters. The expedition revealed underwater volcanoes as well as many deep sea creatures.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said since Indonesia had a vast expanse of ocean, the nation needed to pay more attention to oceanic exploration and research.

“The joint exploration with the US’s technologically advanced equipment helped Indonesia to begin to explore its seas. We look forward to closer relations with the US in the future,” he said.

Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dino Patti Djalal said in a teleconference the next exploration would probably be in Halmahera, Maluku.

The island has much space for exploration – it lies on a double subduction tectonic plate, is part of the coral triangle, is on the Wallace line and has deep seas. —JP