Abu Dhabi's Environment Agency and Khalifa University collaborate on seabed survey

Photo : Abu Dhabi Media Office

A team of scientists and researchers from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Khalifa University recently completed the first full sediment survey off the coast of Abu Dhabi. They carried out the survey on board the Jaywun, the UAE's newest and most advanced research ship. The goal of the survey was to study how climate change is affecting the Arabian Gulf’s marine life. The results of this research will help guide future studies in the region.

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The survey was launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of EAD’s Board. The Jaywun research ship is the first of its kind in the UAE. It is equipped with the latest technology and has six laboratories designed to help with environmental research and studies on climate change.

This research project started as part of an agreement between EAD, OceanX, Bayanat, and M42. The team first began their work in December 2023 on the Ocean Explorer ship, traveling across the UAE. The survey's main purpose is to study the Gulf’s marine life and to map the seafloor to find important underwater features off Abu Dhabi’s coast. Future missions on the Jaywun will continue this work, including further studies off the coast of Fujairah.

Professor Bayan Sharif, the Provost of Khalifa University, said the university is proud to be a part of the Abu Dhabi Environmental Research Network (ADERN), which was also launched by the EAD. Through this network, UAE scientists can submit their research projects to be carried out on the Jaywun vessel. Professor Sharif emphasized that the sediment survey will provide crucial information about how climate change is impacting the Gulf’s marine ecosystems, which will help monitor the health of the sea.

Ahmed Al Hashmi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD, explained how the Jaywun ship helps scientists carry out important research with its high-tech equipment. He said that this research, carried out with Khalifa University, is the first time marine sediments have been studied in offshore Abu Dhabi. This collaboration will play an important role in creating plans to protect the region’s marine life in the future.

The survey’s main goal is to study the waters of the UAE and collect important sediment data from offshore Abu Dhabi. This will allow scientists aboard the Jaywun to understand how the marine environment has changed over time. The research will also look at how sediment moves, how storms affect the ocean, and how healthy the marine life is in the Gulf. By studying the chemicals in the marine sediments, scientists can also predict how the sea might change in the future due to a warmer climate.

This study is a big step forward in understanding the Gulf’s marine ecosystems and will help guide future efforts to protect the region's natural resources.