A Maersk Supply Service (MSS) anchor-handler is to help a Canadian company recover precious metals from the Pacific seabed.

The 276-bp Maersk Launcher (built 2010) has left San Diego in the US for its first deep sea mineral offshore study, the Danish owner said.

MSS began working with DeepGreen Metals last year to develop a method for harvesting small metallic rocks in a sustainable way.