Research vessel Dayang Yihao (Ocean No 1) departed from the city of Sanya in the southernmost, island province of Hainan, on China's 30th oceanic exploration mission.
Â
The global voyage, which will last 180 days and cover 19,000 nautical miles, will take the vessel across the Indian Ocean. A total of 339 people are on board, including 254 scientists and engineers.
Â
Â
Among the experiements, scientists will be testing a remotely-operated underwater vehicle, on a series of oceanic surveys mainly on polymetallic sulphide and bioresources.
Â
The Dayang Yihao will anchor in Port Louis of Mauritius three times before its scheduled return to Qingdao in the eastern province of Shandong on May 30, 2014.
Â