EUROFLEETS

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	About EUROFLEETS Calls for Ship-time European Virtual RV Platform Common and Sustainable use of RV Joint Research Activities Training and Education Partnership with Industry EUROFLEETS Products		European Virtual RV Platform launched 15/03/2010 The EUROFLEETS Project is aware of the potential for an enhanced use of large and exchangeable instruments in Europe as there is a lack of coordination, sharing and interoperability of those instruments. EUROFLEETS, by improving the coordination and information sharing, will thus contribute to a cost-efficient and sustainable use of the marine research instruments available in Europe. In order to improve information sharing and to enhance awareness of opportunities, the EUROFLEETS project will: Develop an integrated information portal, providing up-to-date information about research vessels (RV), cruise programmes, completed cruises and special equipment; Implement the European Virtual Infrastructure in Ocean Research (EVIOR) giving e-access to underway and operational information and data from RV; Implement a EUROFLEETS generic cruise planning system to support a more efficient and harmonised planning and improved flow of programme information from operators to the EUROFLEETS Cruise Programme database. The first phase of the development of the EUROFLEETS Integrated Information Portal has been completed and the portal is now operational. Description The portal development did not start from scratch, but it integrates and upgrades a number of existing database modules from the SeaDataNet pan-European marine and ocean data management infrastructure, EurOcean and POGO - Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans. Initially the following information modules have been integrated and provided with a common EUROFLEETS identity: Research Vessel Cruise Programme database, containing planned cruises per research vessel and owner / operator; Research Vessel database, containing characteristics of each research vessel, owner / operator contact details and, if available, a link to the ship's web page; Cruise Summary Reports (CSR) database, containing details of completed cruises and providing a first level inventory of oceanographic measurements made and samples taken during the cruises. These are supported, where relevant, by: SeaDataNet European Directory of Marine Organisations (EDMO), containing the contact information and activity profiles for the organisations that are engaged somehow in marine data activities in Europe such as involved in marine research projects, data acquisition, operation of data networks, research vessels, and data centres; SeaDataNet Common Vocabularies, consisting of lists of standardised terms that cover a broad spectrum of disciplines of relevance to the oceanographic and wider community; SeaDataNet European Directory of Marine Environmental Projects (EDMERP), containing an overview of research projects relating to the marine environment. Research projects are catalogued as factsheets with their most relevant aspects, including coordinator and partners. The EUROFLEETS beneficiaries only manage a selection of European research vessels and equipment. However it is decided not to limit the scope of the EUROFLEETS integrated information portal databases, but to focus on a full European coverage by encouraging non EUROFLEETS beneficiaries to contribute. This is stimulated via various existing networking relations, such as SeaDataNet, EurOcean, POGO, ISOM (International Research Ship Operators' Meeting) and ERVO (European Research Vessel Operators). High quality and up-to-date input by EUROFLEETS beneficiaries will create momentum and be instrumental in achieving this ambition. The Cruise Programme database has been positioned as the centrepiece of the EUROFLEETS integrated information portal. It gives access to the planned cruises, which are of immediate interest to the scientists, that are looking for opportunities. From the Cruise Programme database options are provided to go to the main user interfaces of the other databases. Also dynamic links heve been integrated from individual Cruise Programme records to retrieve associated Research Vessel details and Cruise Summary Reports. The ICES Ship code serves as linking pin between entries from the Cruise Programme database and from the Cruise Summary Reports and Research Vessel databases. The SeaDataNet EDMO, EDMERP and Common Vocabularies support the main databases. Furthermore options are indicated and provided to information providers (= vessel operators and chief scientists) for updating new and existing entries to the various databases. Later on it is planned to extend the Integrated Information Portal with EUROFLEETS versions of the following InfoBases: Underwater Vehicles database, containing details of underwater vehicles from European operators; Large Exchangeable Instruments (LEXI) database, containing details of large exchangeable instruments from European operators. Please visit this page and the Integrated Information Portal regularly to stay aware of on-going developments and new information on Research Vessels and their cruises.

In order to improve information sharing and to enhance awareness of opportunities, the EUROFLEETS project will:

Develop an integrated information portal, providing up-to-date information about research vessels (RV), cruise programmes, completed cruises and special equipment;
Implement the European Virtual Infrastructure in Ocean Research (EVIOR) giving e-access to underway and operational information and data from RV;
Implement a EUROFLEETS generic cruise planning system to support a more efficient and harmonised planning and improved flow of programme information from operators to the EUROFLEETS Cruise Programme database.

The first phase of the development of the EUROFLEETS Integrated Information Portal has been completed and the portal is now operational.

Description

The portal development did not start from scratch, but it integrates and upgrades a number of existing database modules from the SeaDataNet pan-European marine and ocean data management infrastructure, EurOcean and POGO - Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans.

Initially the following information modules have been integrated and provided with a common EUROFLEETS identity:

Research Vessel Cruise Programme database, containing planned cruises per research vessel and owner / operator;
Research Vessel database, containing characteristics of each research vessel, owner / operator contact details and, if available, a link to the ship's web page;
Cruise Summary Reports (CSR) database, containing details of completed cruises and providing a first level inventory of oceanographic measurements made and samples taken during the cruises.

These are supported, where relevant, by:

SeaDataNet European Directory of Marine Organisations (EDMO), containing the contact information and activity profiles for the organisations that are engaged somehow in marine data activities in Europe such as involved in marine research projects, data acquisition, operation of data networks, research vessels, and data centres;
SeaDataNet Common Vocabularies, consisting of lists of standardised terms that cover a broad spectrum of disciplines of relevance to the oceanographic and wider community;
SeaDataNet European Directory of Marine Environmental Projects (EDMERP), containing an overview of research projects relating to the marine environment. Research projects are catalogued as factsheets with their most relevant aspects, including coordinator and partners.

The EUROFLEETS beneficiaries only manage a selection of European research vessels and equipment. However it is decided not to limit the scope of the EUROFLEETS integrated information portal databases, but to focus on a full European coverage by encouraging non EUROFLEETS beneficiaries to contribute. This is stimulated via various existing networking relations, such as SeaDataNet, EurOcean, POGO, ISOM (International Research Ship Operators' Meeting) and ERVO (European Research Vessel Operators). High quality and up-to-date input by EUROFLEETS beneficiaries will create momentum and be instrumental in achieving this ambition.

The Cruise Programme database has been positioned as the centrepiece of the EUROFLEETS integrated information portal. It gives access to the planned cruises, which are of immediate interest to the scientists, that are looking for opportunities. From the Cruise Programme database options are provided to go to the main user interfaces of the other databases. Also dynamic links heve been integrated from individual Cruise Programme records to retrieve associated Research Vessel details and Cruise Summary Reports.

The ICES Ship code serves as linking pin between entries from the Cruise Programme database and from the Cruise Summary Reports and Research Vessel databases. The SeaDataNet EDMO, EDMERP and Common Vocabularies support the main databases. Furthermore options are indicated and provided to information providers (= vessel operators and chief scientists) for updating new and existing entries to the various databases.

Later on it is planned to extend the Integrated Information Portal with EUROFLEETS versions of the following InfoBases:

Underwater Vehicles database, containing details of underwater vehicles from European operators;
Large Exchangeable Instruments (LEXI) database, containing details of large exchangeable instruments from European operators.

Please visit this page and the Integrated Information Portal regularly to stay aware of on-going developments and new information on Research Vessels and their cruises.

European Virtual RV Platform launched 15/03/2010