Cyclops 2, a five-person submersible featuring the latest in marine engineering, is in the final stages of construction and testing at OceanGate Inc.’s headquarters at the Port of Everett. The underwater craft will explore the infamous Titanic shipwreck this summer.

Earlier this week, Geekwire announced that construction work for an essential part of the dive system was completed by OceanGate and Everest Marine, a division of Burlington, Wash.-based Penn Cove Shellfish. The nearly 11-ton mobile subsea platform will be used to launch Cyclops 2 into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, and bring it back to the surface at the end of each dive.

Cutting-edge innovations in materials science (carbon fiber), electronics and manufacturing methods are coming together to allow Cyclops 2 to withstand the crushing pressures of the Atlantic Ocean at a depth of 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) where the vessel will rendezvous with the Titanic. Data will be gathered on current conditions of the shipwreck which will be compared with future visits to assess deterioration over time.

The submersible and its platform will go through a round of shallow-water dives in the Puget Sound this month, followed by deep-water testing in the Bahamas in April. The inaugural Titanic campaign is set to commence in June.  

Maritime and advanced manufacturing have long been pillars of Washington state’s economy supported by a highly skilled engineering and software talent pool in the Greater Seattle region. From OceanGate in Everett to Wildlife Computers in Redmond, Greater Seattle’s maritime and advanced manufacturing clusters have become world leaders in cutting-edge technology attracting global talent to the region’s top-tier institutions like the University of Washington and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

For more information on the submersible and Titanic shipwreck exploration, visit Geekwire.