The scientific research ship "Dayang Yihao" ("Ocean No. 1") set off on Monday from the eastern coastal city of Qingdao. Part of the trip will be led by Han Xiqiu, an ocean scientist and China's first female chief scientist for scientific exploration of the sea.

"The 220-day journey will consist of six different phases, and each phase will have its own chief scientist," said 38-year-old Han, who is a renowned researcher on sea floor science with the Second Institute of Oceanography of the State Oceanic Administration.

Han will board the ship before the Spring Festival, China's lunar New Year which is to fall on February 18 this year, when the ship is in the Indian Ocean.

Researchers will monitor and map the ocean floor for deep-sea mining operations and conduct deep-sea biological research. The research will cover the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean, the southwest Pacific Ocean and the western part of the Pacific Ocean.

"We are expecting to find new areas of sea floor with positive signs of hot liquid sulfides," said Han. Scientists refer to these "thermal vents" as "black chimneys".

Han explained that "black chimneys" are of great importance to the study of marine resources and the origins of life. Signs of life have been found around the "black chimneys".

"First-hand data about life formations near thermal vents are also a focus of the research mission, as biological gene study in this extreme environment may help in the fight against human disease," she said.

She said that studies of the distribution of hot liquid sulfides on the sea floor will provide data to follow up the "Dayang Yihao's" previous mission.

On Jan. 23, 2006, after a transoceanic voyage, the "Dayang Yihao" brought home more than 1,000 kilograms of hydrothermal sulfide samples containing copper, zinc and precious metals such as gold and silver, after 300 days at sea.

Setting off from Qingdao in April 2005, "Dayang Yihao" traveled 43,230 nautical miles (79,975 kilometers), first visiting the Pacific and then sailing across the Atlantic through the Panama Canal. It then traveled to the Indian Ocean, rounding the Cape of Good Hope before continuing back to the Pacific through the Straits of Malacca.

"More than 150 pieces of sea floor with hot liquid sulfides have been found worldwide, but we Chinese have done little," Han said.

China started oceanic science research in the 1970s and began to draw up an oceanic mine resource plan in 1984. China has since established hi-tech work platforms for deep-sea mineral exploitation, transportation and smelting.

"Dayang Yihao", China's major oceanic science research vessel, was launched in 1995.

Up until now, "Dayang Yihao" has never had a female chief scientist. "Life aboard a research ship is not normal," Han said.

"You've got to work, work and work and there is no perception of time, even though the days on the calendar change."