When it comes to going deep underwater, Japan’s JAMSTEC Shinkai 6500 holds the record among “manned submersibles for academic research” on Earth. It can dive to an impressive depth of 6,500 meters. However, it’s worth noting that there are other submersibles capable of diving even deeper, although they may not fall under the category of academic research.

Since its launch in 1991, the JAMSTEC Shinkai 6500 has completed over 1,500 dives. Its main mission is to research seafloor topography, geology, and marine organisms in various oceans, including the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Japanese seas. You can find more information about it on the JAMSTEC website.

Over the years, the Shinkai 6500 has undergone numerous upgrades and refits, with its most significant overhaul occurring in 2012. It has an interior diameter of two meters and can accommodate a maximum of three people, albeit with limited space. Underwater, its manipulators can lift objects weighing up to 100 kg, and its seven searchlights provide approximately 10 meters of visibility in the depths of the ocean. A typical dive in the Shinkai lasts around eight hours, but it can support its crew members for up to 129 hours in case of emergencies.