EurofleetsPlus · Project

Access 27 Research Vessels and Underwater Robots for Ocean Work Across Seven Seas

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Imagine you need to explore the ocean floor, test equipment underwater, or collect marine data — but you don't own a research ship or a submarine drone. EurofleetsPlus built a one-stop booking system for 27 state-of-the-art research vessels, underwater robots, and remote-controlled vehicles across Europe and beyond. They also created a telepresence system so you can watch and direct deep-sea operations from your office. Think of it as an Airbnb for ocean research ships, open to both scientists and companies.

By the numbers

State-of-the-art research vessels in the fleet

Partner organizations in the consortium

Countries represented in the alliance

Industry partners including SMEs

Total project deliverables produced

Sea regions covered (North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Black Sea, North Sea, Baltic, Pacific Southern Ocean, Ross Sea)

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies working offshore — in energy, aquaculture, subsea engineering, or environmental monitoring — often need ocean research capabilities but cannot justify owning research vessels or underwater robots. Chartering specialized ships is expensive and complex, especially when you need access to multiple sea regions. There is no easy single point of access to Europe's scattered fleet of publicly funded research vessels.

The solution

What was built

A single-entry access system for 27 research vessels across 7 sea regions, the EVIOR portal with full functionality for managing vessel access, a portable telepresence system for remote deep-sea observation (a European first), a complete data handling chain, and a customized data management plan tool.

Audience

Who needs this

Offshore wind developers needing seabed surveys before turbine installationSubsea cable and pipeline companies requiring route surveysMarine technology SMEs needing real-ocean testing for AUVs, ROVs, or sensorsAquaculture companies planning new farm sites in coastal and open watersEnvironmental consulting firms conducting marine impact assessments

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Offshore Energy

enterprise

Target: Offshore wind farm developers and oil & gas companies needing seabed surveys

If you are an offshore energy company dealing with costly seabed surveys and environmental impact assessments — this project provides access to 27 research vessels and autonomous underwater vehicles across the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, North Sea, and Baltic Sea. Instead of chartering dedicated survey ships, you can apply for vessel time through a single-entry system. The telepresence system means your engineers can monitor operations remotely, cutting travel costs.

Marine Technology

SME

Target: AUV and ROV manufacturers and marine sensor companies

If you are a marine technology company that builds underwater drones or sensors and needs real-world ocean testing — this project offered access to autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles deployed from a fleet spanning 24 countries. You can test your equipment under real deep-ocean conditions without owning your own vessel. The 42-partner consortium includes 9 industry partners who validated these access procedures.

Aquaculture & Fisheries

mid-size

Target: Large-scale aquaculture operators and fisheries management companies

If you are an aquaculture operator needing ocean environment data to plan farm locations or monitor water conditions — this project built a data handling chain and the EVIOR portal for managing marine research data. Access to vessels covering the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and North Sea means you can commission water quality and seabed surveys in your operating regions. The data management tools let you integrate findings directly into your planning systems.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much does it cost to access a research vessel through this system?

The project provided open access through competitive calls, meaning vessel time was funded by the EU during the project period (2019-2023). Now that the project is closed, access terms depend on successor arrangements. Contact the Marine Institute in Ireland for current pricing and availability.

Can this scale to serve multiple industrial clients simultaneously?

The fleet consists of 27 research vessels operated by a 42-partner consortium across 24 countries. This distributed model means multiple users can be served in parallel across different seas. The single-entry application system was designed to handle demand from both academia and industry.

What about intellectual property if I use these vessels for commercial R&D?

As a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) under Horizon 2020, IP generated during vessel access typically belongs to the researchers who created it. Companies using the infrastructure for proprietary work should negotiate IP terms directly with the vessel operators. The 9 industry partners in the consortium navigated these terms successfully.

Which ocean regions can I actually access?

The fleet covers the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Black Sea, North Sea, Baltic Sea, Pacific Southern Ocean, and Ross Sea. This gives near-global coverage for marine operations. Specific vessel availability depends on scheduling and the operating institution.

Is the EVIOR portal still operational after the project ended?

The EVIOR portal was delivered with full functionality as a key project deliverable. Post-project sustainability depends on continued funding and institutional support. Check eurofleets.eu for the current status of digital tools and access systems.

Can I watch deep-sea operations remotely instead of being on the ship?

Yes — the project developed a portable telepresence system specifically for remote access, described as a first for Europe. This means your team can observe and potentially direct underwater operations from your offices, reducing the need for personnel to be physically on board.

What data management tools come with vessel access?

The project built a complete data handling chain and a customized data management plan tool based on DMPonline. These were delivered as operational tools, meaning your research data from vessel expeditions can be properly managed, stored, and made accessible according to standard protocols.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a large consortium of 42 partners across 24 countries, heavily weighted toward research organizations (23 of 42). The 9 industry partners and 9 SMEs (21% industry ratio) show meaningful commercial involvement, though this is primarily a research infrastructure project. The Marine Institute in Ireland coordinates, with strong representation across Northern Europe and the Atlantic rim. Partners from Canada, New Zealand, and the US extend this beyond a purely European operation. For a business looking to use these services, the wide geographic spread means local contact points in most European maritime nations.

MARINE INSTITUTECoordinator · IE
HAVFORSKNINGSINSTITUTTETparticipant · NO
IQUA ROBOTICS SOCIEDAD LIMITADAparticipant · ES
BLUE LOBSTER IT LIMITEDparticipant · UK
INSTITUTO PORTUGUES DO MAR E DA ATMOSFERA,IPparticipant · PT
HAVSTOVANparticipant · FO
SUOMEN YMPARISTOKESKUSparticipant · FI
UNIVERSITAT DE GIRONAparticipant · ES
HELLENIC CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCHparticipant · EL
HAFRANNSOKNASTOFNUN, RANNSOKNA- OG RADGJAFARSTOFNUN HAFS OG VATNAparticipant · IS
TURKIYE BILIMSEL VE TEKNOLOJIK ARASTIRMA KURUMUparticipant · TR
EUROPEAN MULTIDISCIPLINARY SEAFLOORAND WATER COLUMN OBSERVATORY - EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM (EMSO ERIC)participant · IT
INSTITUT ROYAL DES SCIENCES NATURELLES DE BELGIQUEparticipant · BE
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
ALFRED-WEGENER-INSTITUT HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR POLAR- UND MEERESFORSCHUNGparticipant · DE
NATO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONparticipant · BE
STICHTING EUROCEANparticipant · NL
INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU GEOLOGIE SI GEOECOLOGIE MARINA-GEOECOMARparticipant · RO
UNIVERSITAET BREMENparticipant · DE
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHEparticipant · IT
INSTYTUT OCEANOLOGII POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUKparticipant · PL
SOCIB - CONSORCIO PARA EL DISENO, CONSTRUCCION, EQUIPAMIENTO Y EXPLOTACION DEL SISTEMA DE OBSERVACION COSTERO DE LAS ILLES BALEARSparticipant · ES
CORONIS COMPUTING SLparticipant · ES
ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DI OCEANOGRAFIA E DI GEOFISICA SPERIMENTALEparticipant · IT
DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
INSTITUT FRANCAIS DE RECHERCHE POUR L'EXPLOITATION DE LA MERparticipant · FR
MARIENE INFORMATIE SERVICE MARIS BVparticipant · NL
GRONLANDS NATURINSTITUTparticipant · GL
HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR OZEANFORSCHUNG KIEL (GEOMAR)participant · DE
VLAAMS INSTITUUT VOOR DE ZEEparticipant · BE
UNIVERSITE DU QUEBEC A RIMOUSKIparticipant · CA
STICHTING NEDERLANDSE WETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK INSTITUTENparticipant · NL
GOETEBORGS UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
TALLINNA TEHNIKAÜLIKOOLparticipant · EE
NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE FOR EARTH SCIENCE LIMITEDparticipant · NZ

How to reach the team

Marine Institute, Ireland — a national marine research agency. Look for their research infrastructure or vessel access department.

Order a report on this consortium See MARINE INSTITUTE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to find out if EurofleetsPlus vessel access or marine data tools can help your offshore operations? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your specific sea region and equipment needs.

Order a report on this topic More in Environment & Climate