MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile: Private university joins National Oceanographic Committee

The USS will contribute its Centinela I ship to the scientific efforts

Chile's Universidad San Sebastián (USS) has joined the National Oceanographic Committee (CONA), a public organization coordinated by the Navy's Hydrographic Service (SHOA), bringing together 30 institutions to advance marine science research.

 The USS's participation includes contributing to research on marine resources, biodiversity, and pollution, utilizing its research vessel Centinela I and infrastructure like laboratories.

The ship recently conducted expeditions to study microplastics in coastal areas, including the Juan Fernández Archipelago.

USS representatives, including Mauricio Cox and Marcos Godoy, will engage in CONA’s Oceanic Culture and Aquaculture working groups, focusing on sustainable marine ecosystem solutions. USS also supports wildlife rescue centers and ocean literacy programs, emphasizing academic excellence and applied research in marine sciences.

“Being part of CONA is a challenge that we take with great responsibility and that will allow us to contribute in research through the generation of knowledge related to our ocean and marine resources, participating in collaborative actions with other institutions and making available infrastructure such as laboratories or the university vessel Centinela I,” USS Rector Hugo Lavados said.

Created in 1971, the CONA currently brings together 30 public, private, and academic institutions that carry out research in Marine Sciences.

Its members include the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), the Meteorological Directorate of Chile, and the Chilean Antarctic Institute, among others. It is chaired by the Director of SHOA and convenes twice a year.

“CONA is a key platform for coordinating efforts in ocean research and management, an area of great relevance for the country,” Godoy pointed out. “Through our participation, we seek to contribute an academic perspective and strengthen collaboration with other actors, promoting sustainable solutions to preserve our marine ecosystems,” he added.

“We will make this platform available to the national scientific community. The Chilean Navy has the ship Cabo de Hornos for these purposes, but when a smaller vessel is required, for example, to access more remote areas, the Centinela I can be used,” Cox explained.

The Universidad San Sebastián (USS) is a private Chilean university with campuses in Santiago, Concepción, Valdivia, and Puerto Montt. Founded in 1989, it offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across 12 schools.