Named the GOMEX due to its historical use in the Gulf of Mexico, this sampler is fully constructed from stainless steel and features a large sampling area. It is available in two sizes—standard and XL—depending on the box area. The GOMEX box corer can be deployed from smaller vessels or in areas with limited space and is specifically suited for soft, deep-water sediments.

The corer is composed of four interconnected functional units:

The sample box

The external fixed-support framework

The structural linkage connecting the vertical sliding bar to the spade-closing mechanism

The release mechanism

Weight trays are designed to accommodate multiple lead weights on each side. The lead acts both as ballast and as the driving force to close and hold the spades in position.

The GOMEX corer’s main advantages lie in its tripping and closing mechanisms, as well as its compact size and moderate weight. It is relatively easy to operate, safe in rough seas, and more cost-effective than the larger, widely used USNEL spade corer. Comparative studies of macrofaunal densities in the Norwegian and Greenland Seas, using data from the same areas with the USNEL corer, indicate that GOMEX samples are of superior quality compared to other quantitative deep-sea sampling devices (Boland, 1991).

Material: Entirely stainless steel

Box material: stainless steel

Weight: 36 kilos

Height: 100 cm

Deck Footprint: 30×30 cm

Box area: 25 cm X 25 cm X 50 cm

Sampling area: 625 cm2