Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) recently announced that the Japanese deep-sea exploration vessel “Chikyu” has successfully set a new record for the deepest drilling depth achieved by the ship, officially certified by the Guinness World Records.
According to reports from Japanese media, the world’s largest and most advanced deep-sea exploration ship, “Chikyu,” conducted explorations in the waters around 200 kilometers off Miyagi Prefecture from September to December 2024. The aim was to understand the tectonic plate boundary structures that triggered the 2011 “3.11” earthquake and tsunami, as well as the current status of strain energy accumulation more than a decade after the earthquake.
During this period, researchers on board the vessel deployed a drill from a height of 28.5 meters above sea level, reaching the seabed at a depth of 6,897.5 meters and subsequently drilling down to 980 meters below the seabed. This brought the total drilling depth from the ship to 7,906 meters. Researchers were able to study the rock layers and collect samples including the geological formations at the plate boundary that triggered the massive earthquake.
Information from the official JAMSTEC website indicates that in April 2012, “Chikyu” also conducted drilling investigations on the fault line that caused the major earthquake at the same location, setting a deep-sea scientific drilling record with a total drilling pipe length of 7,752.3 meters.
“Chikyu” is under the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), which operates under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. It is operated by Mantle Quest Japan.
During a certificate presentation ceremony held in Tokyo on Wednesday, September 24th, officials from the Guinness World Records presented the relevant institutions with the official certificate.
Upon receiving the certificate, the President of JAMSTEC, Hiroyuki Ohsumi, stated, “This recognition from the Guinness World Records is proof of the technical capabilities and operational excellence of the ‘Chikyu,’ and we are delighted about it!”
Publicly available data shows that “Chikyu” is 210 meters long, with a total tonnage of approximately 57,000 tons, costing a staggering £350 million (around $450 million). Its radar system allows for 360-degree observation, unlike conventional radars with only 180-degree radiation angles. Additionally, “Chikyu” features the world’s tallest onboard drilling rig, standing 121 meters above sea level. It is capable of conducting high-depth drilling operations in regions such as the mantle and locations of major earthquakes, earning it the title of the “world’s first” multi-purpose scientific drilling ship in human history.