Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EurofleetsPlus (An alliance of European marine research infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of the research and industrial communities.)
Reporting period: 2020-08-01 to 2022-01-31
The Eurofleets+ project will facilitate open access to an integrated and advanced research vessel fleet, designed to meet the evolving and challenging needs of its user community. European and international researchers from academia and industry are able to apply for several access programmes, through a single-entry system. The project will enable access to a unique fleet of 27 state-of-the-art research vessels from European and international partners. In addition to ship time, researchers will also have access to new Autonomous Underwater Vehicle’s (AUV) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV’s). In conjunction to comprehensive transnational access activities, the project will undertake joint research in challenging and highly relevant areas, including deep ocean research and exploration, data management, and enabling future virtual access. Multiple networking activities will ensure robust call processes, wide stakeholder engagement, and development of a strategic roadmap and sustainability plan. To maximise the impact of the project, Eurofleets+ will implement diverse training and education activities, strong management of innovation in collaboration with industry, and widespread dissemination and communication actions.
To meet the objectives of Eurofleets+, the project is structured around nine work packages, focusing on different aspects but all working together towards the development of a long term solution for the Eurofleets community. Eurofleets+ has scheduled 24 Transnational Access cruises and managed ongoing calls for both Co Principal Investigator and Remote Transnational Access calls. The calls include access to a fleet of 13 Global/Ocean vessels and 14 Regional vessels as well as 7 ROVs and 6 AUVs covering a greater geographical area than offered in previous Eurofleets projects. To date eight cruises have been implemented, providing 100 days’ infrastructure access to 87 researchers on board and 29 remote participants. Progress across all work packages includes the submission of 64 of 99 deliverables and reaching 21 milestones. In addition, CoPI and RTA Programme applications have been evaluated as well as commencing feedback surveys with both applicants and users.
-JRA 3.1 The EVIOR portal including the “Virtual Playground” has been reviewed and updated and is tracking underway data from Eurofleets+ vessels. The Eurofleets+ Automatic Reporting System V3 has advanced to TRL7 from TRL4-5 and is installed for all Eurofleets+ funded cruises. Each funded cruise completes a Data Management Plan for each application/cruise proposal. The DMP requires that the H2020 Programme Guidelines on FAIR Data Management in Horizon 2020 are followed. JRA3.2 has progressed all new equipment concepts proposed in the project to design phase, including the Portable Eclectic Winch Design, Dual Mode Handling Systems and the Multipurpose crane/handling system for deep water operations. Finally, JRA 3.3 Navigation and Guidance for AUV and ASV has progressed to TRL 5.
-Throughout period two work has been ongoing in actively engaging stakeholders through a series of tools including questionnaires, face to face interviews (carried out virtually) and hosting of the 1st International Stakeholder Workshop. Additionally, strong cooperation links with European projects, European Marine RI’s and key networks and communities continue to be fostered.
-Education and training programmes continued for the period despite the challenges faced due to the COVID19 Pandemic. Two Floating Universities took place in summer 2021, the Marine Internship Programme in collaboration with the RV Dana and POGO a candidate from the NF-POGO year’s Open Call embarked on board RV DANA took place in November as well as the Eurofleets+ Personal Exchange Programme taking place on the GO SARS/ ROV ÆGIR 6000 during the BENCHMARK Cruise in August 2021. Two Ship to Shore broadcasts were carried out in the period and transmitted via Facebook Live and the Ocean Classroom portal was launched with over 68 individual education resources for people of all ages, from young children of 4 years of age upwards.
-Formation of the Innovation committee and the Industry platform set the foundation for innovation management for the duration of the project to ensure a high level of industrial collaboration. The project Exploitation and Innovation plan has been developed.
-At the core of the Eurofleets+ project is to ensure progress towards the development of a long-term sustainable fleets coordination system, including vision, mission and values has been developed to an advanced stage with a draft deliverable submitted in January 2022. The EurofleetsRI Business plan includes a business model, financial model and governance structure and outlines the expected results and roadmap for implementation beyond the Eurofleeets+ project.
-The project website has been updated to reflect project activity for the period including the addition of a Transnational Access map, individual cruise pages and updated infrastructure pages.
Research data collected during cruises, through remote access, through joint research activities, or as en route (underway) data is available via the EVIOR Portal with the exception of data with exploitation.
Additionally, partners have presented the work and outputs of the project at numerous events across Europe and internationally giving presentations and poster exhibitions highlighting the work of the project activity areas and results.
-JRA 3.1 The EVIOR portal including the “Virtual Playground” has been reviewed and updated and is tracking underway data from Eurofleets+ vessels. The Eurofleets+ Automatic Reporting System V3 has advanced to TRL7 from TRL4-5 and is installed for all Eurofleets+ funded cruises. Each funded cruise completes a Data Management Plan for each application/cruise proposal. The DMP requires that the H2020 Programme Guidelines on FAIR Data Management in Horizon 2020 are followed. JRA3.2 has progressed all new equipment concepts proposed in the project to design phase, including the Portable Eclectic Winch Design, Dual Mode Handling Systems and the Multipurpose crane/handling system for deep water operations. Finally, JRA 3.3 Navigation and Guidance for AUV and ASV has progressed to TRL 5.
-Throughout period two work has been ongoing in actively engaging stakeholders through a series of tools including questionnaires, face to face interviews (carried out virtually) and hosting of the 1st International Stakeholder Workshop. Additionally, strong cooperation links with European projects, European Marine RI’s and key networks and communities continue to be fostered.
-Education and training programmes continued for the period despite the challenges faced due to the COVID19 Pandemic. Two Floating Universities took place in summer 2021, the Marine Internship Programme in collaboration with the RV Dana and POGO a candidate from the NF-POGO year’s Open Call embarked on board RV DANA took place in November as well as the Eurofleets+ Personal Exchange Programme taking place on the GO SARS/ ROV ÆGIR 6000 during the BENCHMARK Cruise in August 2021. Two Ship to Shore broadcasts were carried out in the period and transmitted via Facebook Live and the Ocean Classroom portal was launched with over 68 individual education resources for people of all ages, from young children of 4 years of age upwards.
-Formation of the Innovation committee and the Industry platform set the foundation for innovation management for the duration of the project to ensure a high level of industrial collaboration. The project Exploitation and Innovation plan has been developed.
-At the core of the Eurofleets+ project is to ensure progress towards the development of a long-term sustainable fleets coordination system, including vision, mission and values has been developed to an advanced stage with a draft deliverable submitted in January 2022. The EurofleetsRI Business plan includes a business model, financial model and governance structure and outlines the expected results and roadmap for implementation beyond the Eurofleeets+ project.
-The project website has been updated to reflect project activity for the period including the addition of a Transnational Access map, individual cruise pages and updated infrastructure pages.
Research data collected during cruises, through remote access, through joint research activities, or as en route (underway) data is available via the EVIOR Portal with the exception of data with exploitation.
Additionally, partners have presented the work and outputs of the project at numerous events across Europe and internationally giving presentations and poster exhibitions highlighting the work of the project activity areas and results.
Eurofleets+ will bring added value and progress beyond current achievements in terms of integration and a more advanced offer of scientific services. The transnational access will open for the first time a suite of state of the art AUVs and other unique enabling technologies. A wider range of highly capable and portable ROV’s offered in parallel with vessels will expand the range and complexity of science which can be supported enabling the science community to address key challenges previously not possible through single national programs. Users will experience working with new platforms, make new findings, innovate, and advance their careers. There is a strong focus on innovation, with the inclusion of several industrial partners including SME’s, particularly in joint research and networking. A strategic roadmap for future research infrastructure developments and address the long-term sustainability of the services at European level will be created. Long-term proposals to better coordinate and optimise the European research fleets will be produced; major effort will be dedicated to the investigation of a sustainable mechanism, through the development of a business plan. Different operational and funding models will be explored to ensure a sustainable, advanced and user-oriented TA system, unique in the EU-Research Infrastructure landscape.