"Welcome aboard"

The R/V Mirai arrived at Singapore yesterday.
Many scientists and marine technician will embark here, and final preparation for the coming Indian Ocean cruise will be performed. On the other hand, since this cruise is the first multi-national effort as the YMC Intensive Observation Period, we celebrated its commencement onboard today. Our distinguished guests from WMO, MSS, and many international institutes/universities joined this ceremony. This ceremony contained introduction of the cruise with many warm messages from the participants and ship tour for showing what kind of instruments will be used for promoting our understanding of the weather-climate systems over the Maritime Continent. In addition, in the afternoon, we also honored to have special guest H.E. Ambassador Extraordinary and Pienipotentiary, Embassy of Japan in Singapore. On behalf of the R/V Mirai cruise staff as well as YMC-Sumatra 2017 campaign, I'd like to express our sincere thanks to the distinguished participants. It was a great and meaningful event, as it definitely encouraged us much. We will surely return with great success of the campaign.
(KY)