Research Vessels (RVs) are key research infrastructures offering vital access to the sea for conducting marine science and ocean observing. Their work ranges from fisheries surveys to seabed mapping, and from climate studies to deep-water/ocean observations, allowing the collection of a wide variety of data and samples from the atmosphere, ocean surface, water column, seabed, and the ground below it, as well as facilitating exploration of the vast expanses of relatively unexplored and unobserved ocean.
As reported in the European Marine Board Position Paper 25 (Nieuwejaar, P. et al., 2019), the European Research Fleet consisted, in 2019, of 99 RVs (31 Local & Coastal Class, 36 Regional Class, 14 Ocean Class, and 18 Global Class), manned and operated by 62 different RV operators – both public and private – in 23 countries.
Despite the size of the European RV fleet, its community of operators is less well developed compared with other European science communities that have evolved towards pan-European initiatives for the coordination of research infrastructures, such as the European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs): EMSO, EPOS, and EURO-ARGO, and the Association Internationale sans But Lucratif (AISBLs): EUFAR, EuroGOOS, SeaDataNet, and EOSC.
Networking activities among European RV operators occur through the ERVO Group, which has an informal nature, no legal status, and no financial support. To date, the level of coordination in the planning and execution of cruises on board European RVs has been low, resulting in fragmentation and, at times, duplication of effort. Furthermore, researchers in some European countries cannot access the most capable RVs and LEXIs, as their institution or country does not own or operate infrastructure suitable for their scientific needs.
Since 2009, the EU has funded three RV Transnational Access (TA) oriented projects aimed at consolidating efforts and resolving the challenges described above: the FP7 projects Eurofleets (2009–2013) and Eurofleets2 (2013–2017), and the ongoing H2020 project Eurofleets+ (2019–2023). These projects have been the cornerstone of European RV fleet cooperation over the last decade, achieving significant success across diversified thematic areas.
Based on the experience and results achieved through the Eurofleets projects and ERVO activities, there is a common understanding among European RV operators that it is necessary to elevate the coordination and utilisation of the European-funded RV fleet to a new and more sustainable level following the conclusion of the Eurofleets+ project in October 2023. This will be achieved through the inauguration of a legal entity, ‘Eurofleets RI’, which will provide a formal structure for cooperation at a pan-European level. This infrastructure should take the form of an AISBL.
Eurofleets RI aims at operating the following services:
- Provision of funded EU Transnational Access (TA) opportunities on board high performing RVs flying various national flags, on basis of scientific excellence, in addition to promoting innovative e-access to RVs during scientific cruises.
- Provision of education and training courses, activities, opportunities, programs, summer schools, etc. (both theoretical and practical).
- Participation in a “market- place” for those offering access to RVs and/or LEXIs, and those looking for charter, barter or in-kind contribution to research projects, monitoring activities, logistical functions, etc.
- Provision of easy access to up-to-date information on the European RV Fleet: maintaining and validating European RV and LEXI information in the EurOcean research infrastructure database, hosting technical groups (exchanges of best practices, operational standards…) and supporting R&D projects for low emissions RVs operation.
