The place of Europe in the world research vessel fleet and

data management

Per W Nieuwejaar

Director RV Department

Institute of Marine Research

Bergen, Norway

Topics

• Global RV fleet• European RV fleet• Large instruments and equipment• Data management• Web portals• European cooperation• Global cooperation• Challenges and opportunities

Global RV fleetLocal RVs (L < 40 m ) 346

Regional RVs (40m< L< 55m) 125

Ocean RVs (55m< L <70 m) 141

Global RVs ( L > 70m) 173• Total world-wide (www.researchvessels.org) 785 • Total European RV fleet (www.eurocean.org) 249• How many of these are truly research vessels or vessels

used in support of research?• No formal definition of ”research vessel” exists

European RV fleetCharacteristics of European Academic RV fleet:

- RVs unevenly distributed among nations

- Average age is high

- Long replacement intervals

- Large vessels well utilized, smaller vessels underutilized

Examples European new builds

Emma Bardan (SP) Callista (UK)

Gunnerus (NO)

Examples European new builds

Sarmiento de Gamboa (SP) Porquis Pas? (FR)

James Cook (UK) Maria S. Merian (GE)

Large instruments and equipment

- Availability of the sophisticated instruments is very limited and unevenly distributed ; a limited number of nations own most of the large and exchangeable instruments

- Lending, leasing and/or exchange of instruments between European institutions do happen, but still and most often on a bilateral case by case basis

- Potential for a improved utilisation of large and exchangeable instruments in Europe is considerable.

Nevertheless many issues have to be taken into account :Inter operability Technical support

Annual programmingCooperation outside Europe

InsuranceTransport and customs

Data management

• More than 36 European marine data and information centres (www.sea-search.net/mdic)

• These data centers have built a network for dissemination of data, best practices, and development of new tools and products.

EurOcean web portal• www.eurocean.org

• Located in Lisbon, Portugal. Hosted by FCT (Fundação para Ciência e a Tecnologia)

• 10 institutions in 9 European countries are members, and there are room for more members!

• EurOcean is a focal point for information on marine science and technology in Europe

• Databases for RVs, underwater vehicles and Large Exchangeable Instruments (LEXI)

European cooperation• European Research Vessel Operator (ERVO)

group consisting of European RV operators. Established in 1999.

• Ocean Facilities Exhange Group (OFEG) for RV and instrument bartering. Established in 1996. Six member countries (UK, FR, GE, NL, SP, NO)

• OFEG-TECH. OFEG technicians network established 2007.

• A number of bilateral agreements between European research institutions

Global cooperation

• International Ship Operator Meeting (ISOM) since 1986 (www.isom-info.org) Global network of RV operators

• INMARTECH. Bi-annual marine tech conference

• RVOC in the USA invites European partners to its annual meeting

• US/NSF observers in OFEG

• US webportal OCEANIC cooperates with EurOcean

Challenges and opportunities• Challenges

- Better utilization of existing RVs and equipment- Joint investment and ownership of vessels and equipment?

• Opportunities- The networks are established- Cooperation agreements are in place on ”working level”- Mutual trust and understanding is established

Summary

Research vessels

Instruments

Data centers

Web portals

Technicians

Working groups

The infrastructure is in place and is working every day!