GUANGZHOU: Scientific findings on the ocean floor by the nation's first research vessel of "Dayang Yihao", or Ocean No 1, is of great significance to earthquake studies, a top scientist said.

Setting off from this southern city yesterday on its 20th global tour, the vessel will travel about 34,000 nautical miles through the eastern, northwestern and southwestern Pacific Ocean and the southwestern Indian Ocean for about 250 days.

"Further exploration of the ocean floor will be carried out during the voyage. And we believe that scientific findings will help promote earthquake studies," Tao Chunhui, the chief scientist on the vessel, said.