Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- An ocean-fertilization experiment planned near Antarctica by German and Indian scientists was cleared to proceed with its mission to explore chemical means to counter global warming, organizers said.

An independent panel of experts, convened by Germany’s government for a last-minute review of the project, “determined there are no legal or environmental reasons” to halt the testing, the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Potsdam, Germany, said today on its Web site.

A team of 48 scientists on board plans to dump six tons of dissolved iron overboard in a 300 square-kilometer (116 square- mile) area of the Southern Ocean to spur rapid growth of algae. They hope to learn whether a chemical reaction is triggered resulting in more carbon dioxide being absorbed from ocean air.

Researchers around the world are studying ways to counter climate change, which scientists say is worsened by industrial emissions of carbon dioxide. The ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide is not entirely understood.

A research ship run by Planktos Corp. tried to carry out a similar test near Spain’s Canary Islands in 2007 and was denied permission by the local government, El Mundo newspaper reported today.

To contact the reporters on this story: Todd White in Madrid at twhite2@bloomberg.netJeremy van Loon via jvanloon@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: January 26, 2009 12:54 EST