▁J AM ST EC ▁also ▁oper ates ▁the ▁D SV ▁Sh ink ai , ▁Earth ▁Sim ulator ▁super comput er ▁and ▁other ▁marine ▁scientific ▁research ▁projects . ▁C DEX ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁services ▁to ▁support ▁activities ▁including ▁on - board ▁staff ing , ▁data ▁management ▁for ▁core ▁samples ▁and ▁logging ; ▁implements ▁engineering ▁site ▁surve ys ; ▁and ▁conduct s ▁engineering ▁develop ments . ▁C DEX ▁contract s ▁with ▁the ▁Mant le ▁Qu est ▁Japan ▁Company ▁for ▁the ▁navigation ▁of ▁the ▁ship . ▁ ▁The ▁Ch ik y ū ▁H ak ken ▁program ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁an ▁international ▁scientific ▁collabor ative ▁effort ▁with ▁scient ists ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁EC ORD , ▁a ▁cons ort ium ▁consisting ▁of ▁several ▁European ▁countries ▁and ▁Canada , ▁China , ▁South ▁Korea , ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand ▁( AN Z IC ), ▁and ▁India . ▁ ▁Design ▁D / V ▁Ch ik y ū ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁M its ui ▁Engineering ▁& ▁Sh ip building ▁and ▁launched ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁in ▁Nag as aki , ▁Nag as aki . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁out f itted ▁by ▁the ▁M its ub ishi ▁He avy ▁Indust ries ▁and ▁delivered ▁to ▁J AM ST EC ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁h ull ▁of ▁the ▁ship ▁is ▁ 2 1 0 ▁meters ▁long , ▁ 3 8 ▁meters ▁in ▁width , ▁ 1 6 . 2 ▁meters ▁high , ▁and ▁has