156-day China-Chile Trans-Pacific Expedition

More than 6,000 meters below the ocean surface lies the hadal zone. No sunlight reaches these depths, and the pressure can be hundreds of times greater than at sea level. Yet surprisingly, this is far from a lifeless world.

The hadal zone is home to an extraordinary variety of life. Some fish have translucent bodies, some crustaceans possess unusually large eyes, and certain organisms survive without sunlight, drawing energy instead from chemicals released from the seafloor.

To explore this hidden world, the manned submersible Fendouzhe completed 63 dives during the 156-day Global Hadal Exploration Program Trans-Pacific Expedition, including 50 dives deeper than 6,000 meters. The voyage covered more than 40,000 kilometers—roughly equivalent to one circumnavigation of Earth's equator.

Scientists collected valuable underwater footage, biological and geological samples, and discovered, for the first time ever, the deepest known chemosynthetic ecosystem in the Southern Hemisphere. They also documented numerous species that may be new to science.

Every dive brings back more than samples and images, it provides vital clues about how life survives in extreme environments and how our planet continues to evolve.

Join HOV Fendouzhe on a journey into Earth's deepest frontiers and discover the remarkable life and mysteries hidden in the hadal zone.

About Global Hadal Exploration Program (GHEP)

Global Hadal Exploration Program (GHEP) is a UN Programme officially endorsed in 2025 under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Initiated by the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IDSSE, CAS), GHEP is developed in partnership with global research collaborators.

Drawing on IDSSE’s advanced deep-sea platforms and long-term expedition experience across major hadal trenches including the Mariana, Kermadec, Java and Kuril–Kamchatka Trenches, GHEP establishes an open international research network. It assembles leading institutions and experts from over 15 countries, covering Southern Denmark, Chile, New Zealand, Indonesia, France, Germany, Russia, the US, the UK, Singapore and Pacific island nations.

GHEP integrates state-of-the-art deep-sea technologies and multidisciplinary strengths to conduct systematic global hadal research. It unifies scattered research outputs, boosts cross-border ocean science cooperation and trains young marine researchers. The programme explores the physical, geological and biological features of hadal trenches, offering key support for studies on marine biodiversity, subduction zone geodynamics, climate evolution and ocean sustainable development. As a landmark joint global initiative, GHEP pushes forward humanity’s exploration of Earth’s last largely unknown ocean frontier.