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Annex 7: Inventory of Marine Research Infrastructures Research vessels and underwater vehicles Research vessels and underwater vehicles tend to be operated by or via a public entity and can offer opportunities for regular scientific activities and cruises. Public operators include public research organisations, public administrations (i.e. vessels dedicated to monitoring activities such surveillance and fisheries stock assessment) and navy vessels. Private operators provide chartering opportunities on an ad hoc basis. There also vessels of opportunities (also called ferry boxes) which are merchant vessels or research vessels which collect measurements on a sporadic basis. Research vessels are categorised by size and classified as global, oceanic, regional or local/coastal vessels. There are more than 240 research vessels228 operated out of European countries, predominantly in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea but also in other seas around the world. Table 0.25 presents an inventory of research vessels in Europe. EUROFLEETS and EUROFLEETS2 are FP7 funded projects which aims enhance coordination between fleets and works towards an alliance of European research fleets229. Table 0.25 Inventory of research vessels and underwater equipment in Europe Research vessels Underwater vehicles Country and Sea Norway -Atlantic 1 Sweden - Baltic Sweden - Skagerrak Denmark - Atlantic Denmark - Baltic Iceland - Atlantic Germany - Atlantic Germany - Baltic Netherlands - Atlantic Belgium - Atlantic UK - Atlantic Ireland - Atlantic France - Atlantic 11 1 6 1 3 1 5 1 9 3 2 3 2 19 2 5 10 2 6 3 5 3 2 2 2 4 5 1 4 1 2 1 5 5 9 4 3 2 2 1 3 1 4 2 228 Data collected from SEAS-ERA Work Package reports D4.1.1, D6.4.1_2, D7.4.1_2 and D8.4.1 which can be found here: http://www.seas-era.eu/np4/19.html 229 http://www.eurofleets.eu/np4/home.html 162 Study in support of Impact Assessment work on Blue Biotechnology Global (>65m) Ocean / regional (<65m, >35m Local/coastal (<35m) ROV AUV Manned submersible USV

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