Indonesian, Australian navies conduct joint seabed survey
The Indonesian Navy's Hydro-Oceanographic Centre (Pushidrosal) and the Australian Navy (RAN) are conducting a two-month joint survey of the seabed in the Timor Sea border area.
Pushidrosal Commander Vice Admiral Nurhidayat with Indonesian Navy personnel at the Coordinated Hydrographic Survey Exercise Indonesia-Australia 2023 at JICT Priok Port in Jakarta on September 29, 2023. (Photo: antaranews.com)
Jakarta (VNA) – TheIndonesian Navy's Hydro-Oceanographic Centre (Pushidrosal) and the AustralianNavy (RAN) are conducting a two-month joint survey of the seabed in the TimorSea border area.
Pushidrosal Commander Vice AdmiralNurhidayat informed that the joint survey, which was launched on September 29, is the firstto be held by the Indonesian and Australian navies.
He said the coverage area for the surveyis quite wide and it will also be carried out for two months in 2024. Pushidrosal aims to carry out a jointsurvey in all of the Indonesia-Australia borders, he said.
For the joint survey, the IndonesianNavy deployed KRI Spica-934 warship from Pushidrosal to Indonesia'sExclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Meanwhile, ships from the AustralianNavy and the Australian Hydrographic Agency (AHO) will also sail along theirEEZ on the Timor Sea border.
According to Nurhidayat, 63 personnelhave been deployed for the survey, and two Australian Navy personnel will tagalong with KRI Spica-934.
During the survey, Indonesia andAustralia will collect seabed data in their respective EEZs, including maps ofthe seabed, sea tunnels, current patterns, and tidal patterns, he said.
Nurhidayat said that the twocountries will exchange data, but only general data and not specific data that consists of information regarding the five-meter layer below the seabed(sub-bottom profile) under the full control of each country.
He explained that the data obtained fromthe survey results would be used as material to prepare underwater maps,especially for the border areas of Indonesia and Australia.
The maps will be useful for thenavigation of commercial ships and construction, including the installation ofcable and pipe networks on the seabed for telecommunications and internetnetworks, Nurhidayat said./.
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Pushidrosal Commander Vice Admiral Nurhidayat with Indonesian Navy personnel at the Coordinated Hydrographic Survey Exercise Indonesia-Australia 2023 at JICT Priok Port in Jakarta on September 29, 2023. (Photo: antaranews.com) 
