The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) began activities in the Red Sea in 2010 through an agreement with KAUST University in Saudi Arabia. Over multiple expeditions from 2010-2011, HCMR conducted high-resolution seabed mapping, environmental studies of deep brine lakes, searches for deep corals, and direct scientific cooperation with international partners. HCMR involved 18 staff and utilized research vessels and robotics to study topics like water masses, biological diversity, and new discoveries like a previously unknown brine lake.

1. HCMR Activities in the Red Sea
C. Smith & Ε. Παπαθανασίου

2. HCMR in the Red Sea
• The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) started
activities in the Red Sea in March 2010.
• This was the result of a framework agreement between,
SETE Facilities Management Saudia Ltd (Latsis Group), to
cover 3 major long term missions up to 2012-13 with
KAUST University in Saudi Arabia with the Greek
Oceanographic Vessel “Aegaeo”, in the Red Sea
• This opened a great opportunity for cooperation at the
scientific and political level,
• Participation in a wide range of activities at the national,
bilateral and international level, with Greece being one of the
first countries to cooperate scientifically in this little
explored area through common research interests.

3. Aims
1. High resolution mapping of the seabed in the Red Sea,
2. Characterisation of water masses,
3. High level environmental study of deep brine lakes
4. The search for deep corals in the Red Sea and their relationships
with deep corals in the Eastern Mediterranean.
5. Direct cooperation with scientists from KAUST university, also
with the USA (Wood Hole Oceanographic Institute), China (Hong
Kong University) and Egypt (American University of Cairo), also
actively involved in scientific research in the area.
HCMR Personnel: 18 research and technical staff were involved
in 2010-11
Utilising: Submarine ‘Thetis” and the robot vehicle “MAXROV”

4. Targets
Medium Term Targets and Directions:
• 2010: Charter out the vessel for physical chemistry
and biological studies
• 2011: Research collaboration between HCMR and
KAUST, Woods Hole and the University of Hong
Kong (already have 3 publications and 1 in press)
• 2013-14: Increasing cooperation with new
agreements for more research at different levels in the
area.

5. KAUST Red Sea Expedition 2010
• 2010 Mission: 63 days.
• Research in Saudi Arabian territorial waters, looking at
many things for the first time
• The research results are particularly important for
world level publication.
• New discovery: during HCMR MAXROV dives, we
found a new brine lake at approximately 860 m depth.

6. KAUST Red Sea Expedition 2010
• Leg - I (15th March – 1st April)
– Mission
Collection of biological and oceanographic data to study Red Sea
hydrography and microbial diversity
– Sampling locations
10 perpendicular transects along the Saudi coast of the Red Sea
• Leg - II (6th – 17th April)
– Mission
Collection of water and plankton samples from different depth layers to
study brine pool biota
– Sampling locations
Brine pool systems: Atlantis II Deep (AIID) and Discovery Deep (DD)
• Leg - III (20th – 29th April)
– Mission
Collection of sediment and benthos samples to study brine pool biota
and geology
– Sampling locations
1 transect from Jeddah to AIID, 2 transects at AIID and 1 at DD

7. ROV Video Capture of new
Thuwal Cold Seeps
g
f
a
c
b g
f
Thuwal Cold Seep I Thuwal Cold Seep II

8. KAUST Red Sea Expedition 2011 (3/9-23/12)
HCMR participated in all the different legs of the mission with 15 scientists and technicians
(in 5 teams) on board the RV Aegaeo
LEG 1: Large-Scale Hydrographic and
Microbiological Studies
28 Days: Sep 15−Oct 13, 2011
LEG 2: Microbiological and
Ichthyoplankton Studies at Brine
Pool and Non-Brine Pool Sites
18 Days: Oct 16−Nov 03, 2011
LEG 3: Mesopelagic Fish Study and
Brine Pool Acoustics
12 Days: Nov 06−18, 2011
LEG 4: Cold Seeps Studies
7 Days: Nov 21−28, 2011
LEG 5: Coral, Fish, and Other
Macrofauna Studies
16 Days: Nov 30−Dec 16, 2011
TOTAL: 71 days at sea R/V Aegaeo

9. KAUST Red Sea Expedition III (2011)
Sampling Coverage during Expedition III
Overall area in which sampling stations for hydrographic,
biological, microbiological, ichthyological, and brine pool
studies will be undertaken during all legs of Expedition
III (2011). Hurghada
Marine
Station
Northern half that was covered for the Large-Scale
Hydrographic Survey during Expedition II (2010).
Atlantis II and Discovery Deeps Area studied for
oceanography and microbial ecology/genetics
during Expeditions I (2008) and II (2010).
Southern half to be also covered for the Large-Scale
Hydrographic Survey during Leg 1 of Expedition III
(2011).

10. LEG 1: Large-Scale Hydrographic and
Microbiological Studies
28 Days: Sep 15−Oct 13, 2011
A. Rabigh-Thuwal- A
Jeddah Region
B. Dipole
Study Box
B

11. LEG 2: Microbiological and Ichthyoplankton
Studies at Brine Pool and Non-Brine Pool Sites
18 Days: Oct 16−Nov 03, 2011
Rosette/Niskins (Standard & Modified)
Multi-Corer
ISIIS Device

12. LEG 2: Microbiological and Ichthyoplankton
Studies at Brine Pool and Non-Brine Pool Sites
18 Days: Oct 16−Nov 03, 2011
Valve closes
Modified
Rosette/Niskin
Multi-Bottle Assembly
Niskin Bottle (High-Volume Sampling)*
closing mechanism
Seawater
inflow
Brine Layers:
Increasing
Temperature
and Salinity
DISCOVERY ATLANTIS II DEEP
DEEP

13. LEG 3: Mesopelagic Fish Study and
Brine Pool Acoustics
12 Days: Nov 06−18, 2011
A. Acoustic package
B. Underwater camera system
C. Lander deployment (?)
D. Net tows
All activities are ROV assisted.

14. LEG 3: Mesopelagic Fish Study and Brine Pool
Acoustics
12 Days: Nov 06−18, 2011
Mesopelagic fish (Atherinidae) swarming the Hamburg Plankton Net for
submersible lights @ >500 m deep meso-pelagic fish sampling

15. LEG 4: Cold Seeps Studies
7 Days: Nov 21−28, 2011
Thuwal
Cold Seeps
Cold Seep I
Cold Seep II
Location of the new Thuwal Cold Seeps Brine Pool outline superimposed
system, relative to the Hot Brine Pools along on Cold Seeps area bathymetry
the mid-axial deeps of the Red Sea

16. LEG 4: Cold Seeps Studies
7 Days: Nov 21−28, 2011

17. LEG 5: Coral, Fish, and Other
Macrofauna Studies
16 Days: Nov 30−Dec 16, 2011

18. LEG 5: Coral, Fish, and Other
Macrofauna Studies
16 Days: Nov 30−Dec 16, 2011
Deep Corals, Fish and Other Macrofauna Survey by Submersible (<600 m
deep) or ROV (<2,000 m deep)
Typical biological communities observed at depths 80-90 m.

19. And the cooperation continues...