The survey and exploration of marine non-living resources is being carried out by the Oceanographic Research Vessel (ORV) Sagar Kanya since 1984. The vessel is fitted with sophisticated facilities for carrying out research in the field of physical and chemical oceanography, marine biology, meteorology, marine geology, marine geophysics, etc. During the year the vessel undertook 10 scientific cruises (upto Jan.97) and spent 223 days at sea. Major scientific investigations carried out during the course of the year, are;

- BOB CRUST studies in the Bay of Bengal for gravimetric, bathymetric, sediment sampling and geological aspects of Eastern continental margin.

- Surface heat fluxes, circulation and volume transport in respect of warm pool in Bay of Bengal. Comparison of zooplankton diversity during the pre- monsoon season.

- Environmental impact assessment in the Polymetalic Nodule areas.

- Investigations on the gravity, magnetic anomalies, geomorphology and study of air-borne particle flux and deep-sea samples in the Arabian Sea.

- Physical, chemical and meteorological studies in the Equatorial Indian Ocean including the circulation features.

- Collection of sea truth data for validating satellite derived oceanic parameters and validation campigns for IRS-P3 Modular Opto electronic Scanner (MOS).

- Two dedicated cruises on Joint Global Ocean Flux Studies (JGOFS) were undertaken in the Arabian sea to determine and understand the processes controlling time-varying fluxes of carbon and associated biogenic elements and to predict the response of biochemical processes to climate change.