On 1 July 2025, NIWA merged with GNS Science to become Earth Sciences New Zealand.

2020 - Kaikōura canyons

The 2020 voyage provided an opportunity to progress ongoing studies into the ecological and sedimentological impact and recovery following the 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake.

The primary objective of the TAN2011 voyage was to re-map the Kaikōura Canyon and nearby targets using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV Rán operated by the University of Gothenburg, Sweden). Additionally, the voyage provided the opportunity to progress ongoing studies into the ecological and sedimentological impact and recovery following the 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake.

RV Tangaroa voyage track map

Below is a map showing the course of RV Tangaroa taken during the TAN2011 voyage. Select anywhere on the red track to see position details, time and other vessel information. N.B. Dates and times are in UTC. New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) is 12 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Click on the ship icons for points of interest during the voyage.

Our overseas partners
Kaikoura voyage 2020 overseas partners logos

2020 - Kaikōura canyons blog

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    Kaikōura Canyon

    Our team of researchers have recently returned from a voyage onboard RV Tangaroa to retrieve moorings deployed to collect sediment samples from the Kaikōura Canyon.
    Earthquakes
    Submarine landslides
    Oceans

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    Underwater robot getting close-up look at Kaikōura Canyon

    Media release
    08 October 2020
    A six-metre long orange underwater robot is flying through the Kaikōura Canyon for the next month collecting information on how the canyon has changed since the 2016 earthquake.
    Coasts
    Sediments
    Earthquakes

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    NIWA science: important international collaborations

    This campaign brings together two Eurofleets+ Infrastructures, the RV Tangaroa and the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) from Sweden’s University of Gothenburg (UGOT).
    Acoustics

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    Rob Christie - Manager of Marine Resources

    Eurofleets+ aims at providing, integrating and improving access to key research vessels and associated major equipment.
    Acoustics

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    Joshu Mountjoy - Voyage leader

    Voyage update from Dr Joshu Mountjoy and Johan Rolandsson.

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    Scott Nodder - Marine geologist

    Scott Nodder is interested in the effects earthquakes have on marine sediments and animal communities.

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    Ashley Rowden and Katie Bigham - Marine ecologists

    Ashley Rowden and Katie Bigham talk about the positive changes observed on the seafloor following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.
    Benthic habitats