ZMT - Leibniz Zentrum für Marine Tropenforschung

28.7.16 | As the first Indonesian scientist from a ZMT partner institution Rikoh Siringoringo has this month been trained in scientific diving. Supported by the ZMT, the coral researcher from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences LIPI has successfully finished the five-week theoretical and practical training and is now certified as a scientific diver according to the rules of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) and as a European Scientific Diver.

Rikoh Siringoringo’s successful completion of the course now marks the start of setting up a long-term cooperation between the ZMT and its Indonesian partners to establish scientific diving as a standardised training in the Southeast Asian island state.

Rikoh Siringoringo is one of ten participants from six nations (Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Norway, Spain and Sweden) to enrol in the ESD training course, which took place in Helgoland and Kristineberg (Sweden) in April and July.

Dr. Michael Schmid, head of scientific diving at ZMT, says: “Rikoh has passed the course with flying colours. He was ambitious and driven. Being used to warm Indonesian waters he also coped very well with the rather low water temperatures in the North Sea. We are proud to have successfully trained the first one of our Indonesian partners.”

Aside from intense training in professional diving skills for scientific purposes in theory and practice the course also include an e-learning seminar. Participants need to pass a theoretical and practical examination by the German Examination Board for Scientific Divers” and by Dykarskolan, Stockholm. If successful they will be certified according o the respective national rules for scientific diving and as European Scientific Diver.

The scientific diving course was offered by the Biological Station Helgoland of the Alfred Wegener Institute and the University of Gothenburg in cooperation with the ZMT and Alleco Finland.

Scienticifc diving at ZMT