The Hjort Trench is a linear topographic depression south of Macquarie Island in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
[3] As the southernmost portion of the Macquarie Ridge complex, the Hjort Trench lies in an area of diagonal convergence produced by the transform fault evolution of the Emerald fracture zone.
Frequent seismic events, most less than 20 km (12 mi) deep, characterize the transpression along this plate boundary.
The deepest point of Hjort Trench is approximately 6.3 km (3.9 mi) below sea level.
The trench and ridge are the southern part of the Macquarie Fault Zone which is formed from oceanic crust.