The Deep Blue Voyager 2035 (DBV), a UN-endorsed Decade Contribution to the Ocean Decade (2021–2030), held its inaugural ceremony on March 28, 2026, in Shenzhen, China, marking the start of its first Western Pacific Expedition. Led by Mr. Zhanhai Zhang, DBV integrates science, industry, and society to advance ocean exploration and public engagement.

Mr.Zhang Zhanhai hosted Inaugural Ceremony of the Deep Blue Voyager 2026 Western Pacific Expedition

The 2026 expedition's first leg (March 30 – May 4, 2026) focuses on the Philippine Sea, with tasks including deploying Argo floats and moorings, ocean bottom electromagnetic observations, sediment and water sampling, equipment recovery near the Mariana Trench, and continuous air-sea interaction monitoring.

First Leg (Western Pacific – Philippine Sea)

The ceremony featured speeches, strategic agreements, flag presentations, and the appointment of 18 Science Communication Ambassadors who will translate deep-sea research into accessible content for the public. The initiative emphasizes ocean literacy and cross-sector collaboration.