You can read all the latest news and updates on the Cook Islands seabed minerals sector here.
As Seabed Minerals Commissioner, my answer is simple: we build capability, not dependence.
Read MoreCook Islands scientists have completed a major review of more than 11,000 deep-sea observations, working with research partners in Hawai‘i to improve how seabed habitats are classified and analysed for future environmental management.
The work was advanced during meetings at the Deep-sea Animal Research Centre at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in September 2026, where Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) Knowledge Management staff Chloe-Ane Wragg and Dr John Parianos presented a revised Cook Islands approach to classifying deep-sea substrates and geological features.
Read MoreThe first dive of the NA176 marine scientific cruise has delivered exceptional results.
One of the cruise participants, Deep Sea Power and Light, provided cutting edge new camera technology [1] and a small team of experts to commission and maintain the equipment. This is the first time this technology has been deployed to such depths anywhere in the world.
Read MoreThe United States is partnering with the Cook Islands to provide scientific and technical support for the nation’s exploration of deep-sea mineral resources, a move that comes amid a fierce national debate and existing collaboration with China on the same issue.
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