Oceanographic Research Vessel (ORV) Sagar Kanya has been planned to undertake 14 cruises for a number programmes such as shallow Seabed Mining Demonstration, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) demonstration, Land-Ocean Interaction in Coastal Zone (LOICZ), Geological and geophysical studies on Carlsberg ridge, Paleo-oceanographic studies of sediment cores in Bay of Bengal, Bio-geo-chemical cycling of elements and investigations on fluxes and processes, Studies of methane rich/gas-charged sediments, Deployment and retrieval operations of sediment traps and current meter arrays, besides collection of seawater, aerosol and sediment samples from different depths in Bay of Bengal for assessment of various parameters. Multi-beam Swath bathymetric mapping was carried out extensively in Bay of Bengal for BENFAN and OTEC, in Arabian Sea for LOICZ and in Indian Ocean for Carlsberg ridge programmes.

Some of the scientific activities carried out onboard Sagar Kanya during the year include:

Data Buoy – retrieval, assembly, maintenance and deployment in Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. Collection of meteorological data by use of AWS for validation of data from Data Buoys.

Study of relation between ridge segmentation and petrology, mantle kinematics and tracing the hydrothermal activities on Carlsberg Ridge.

Paleo-oceanographic studies of Bengal Fan – site selection by multi- beam mapping of the study area and sediment core collection.

Studies of Late Quaternary Paleo-Oceanography of Northern Indian Ocean.

In-situ geo-technical properties measurement of sediments as part of Sand Mining Demonstration off Tuticorin.

Sinking particulate matter and its dispersal in Coastal Zone (LOICZ).

OOS current meter array moorings along equator and sediment traps retrieval.

Trace constituents and aerosol studies in the marine boundary layer of the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.

OTEC site determination, measurement of currents and seabed surveys; towing and deployment of pipe at a specific pre-determined site for demonstration.

Sea-truth validation of Multi-channel Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR) and Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) on Oceansat-I (IRS-P4).

Satlantic Radiometer calibration and testing at sea and training of users.

Amino acid dating bio-marks of sediments in Bay of Bengal.

Reconnaissance for Gas Hydrates off West Continental Margin seabed sampling of East Coast deltas in Bay of Bengal.

Measurement of dielectric properties of seawater.