The International Seabed Authority (ISA) announced, on 8 September 2025, that it has received an application for approval of a plan of work for the exploration of polymetallic nodules from Impossible Metals Bahrain, sponsored by the Kingdom of Bahrain.
According to the ISA, the exploration area under application is part of the ISA’s reserved areas in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean and is divided into six blocks. Reserved areas are contributed by developed States when they apply to the ISA for exploration rights. They are then held in a “site bank” reserved for access by developing countries or the Enterprise. This mechanism creates important opportunities for developing countries to engage in deep-sea mineral exploration, with 21 countries already having been granted exploration contracts to date.
The IS further stated “The addition of the first West Asian and Arab country to the list of exploration applications reflects the universality, legitimacy and functionality of the ISA’s unique system, as well as the region’s strong commitment to multilateralism and the advancement of deep-ocean marine scientific research,” said Leticia Carvalho, Secretary-General of the ISA. “While technical matters fall under the assessment of the Legal and Technical Commission, this partnership champions a forward-looking vision that is leveraging the technological leaps and bounds that can help overcome environmental challenges and power deep-sea pursuits that are anchored in the principles of sustainability,” she added.
In a webinar hosted by the Centre for Community & Oceanic Law in April 2025, Mr. Oliver Gunasekara, B.Eng. (Hons), B.Eng. (Hons), CEO & Co-Founder of Impossible Metals, (https://impossiblemetals.com/), spoke on the “Exploring the Depths: Economic Prospects of Deep Seabed Mining for West African States”, Mr. Gunasekara demonstrated how robotic technology could selectively harvest noodles with due regards to biodiversity and deep seabed ecosystem. Click here for the lecture.
The Centre congratulates Impossible Metals and hopes that it would leverage technology to address environmental concerns that have been raised.
The Kingdom of Bahrain sponsors Impossible Metals to apply for a deep-sea mining exploration contract in international waters
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