The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), an exploration contractor sponsored by the Government of Germany, has announced the upcoming stakeholder consultations within the framework of an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the small-scale testing of an advanced AI-controlled nodule harvester in the eastern BGR contract area, located in the Clarion- Clipperton Zone of the northeast Pacific. BGR is responsible for planning, organizing and executing the environmental monitoring and assessment programme as part of its exploration activities and obligations.
The consultation period will last for 6 weeks, adhering to international best practices, between 20 January and 2 March 2025. To facilitate stakeholder engagement, BGR will host two webinars towards the end of the consultation period. Details regarding the exact dates and times of these webinars will be published shortly on the BGR’s website. Webinars will be designed to provide an overview of the planned activities, offering the public an opportunity to engage.
The EIS will outline the planned in situ test of the Eureka III, an advanced, image-controlled, autonomous robotic underwater nodule harvester. The testing is scheduled for January-February 2026. It will cover an area not exceeding 250 metres x 45 metres (11,250 m²) over 4 days. The primary objective is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of selectively harvesting polymetallic nodules while assessing the associated environmental impacts.
This public consultation will provide stakeholders with the opportunity to review and comment on the EIS. All comments will be documented, including the commenter’s identity, date of receipt, method of communication, content and response. This response will detail how stakeholder feedback was considered and whether it resulted in any amendments to the EIS or other aspects of the planned testing. The feedback will be compiled in a summary table.
To access the stakeholder consultation portal, click here.
Stakeholder comments should be sent to marine-rohstoffe@bgr.de
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