Azores Ocean Research Ship carries out first scientific mission

O research ship “Azores Ocean” carried out its first scientific mission, integrating the oceanographic campaign AMPO2026, dedicated to the characterization of the ecosystems of the Azorean archipelago.

According to the Regional Government of the Azores, the mission also included deep habitats and the collection of reference data for future monitoring of protected marine areas.

Cited in a press release, the Regional Secretary of the Sea and Fisheries, Mário Rui Pinho, considered that this first mission “represents the entry into full scientific activity of the ‘Azores Ocean’ and, above all, the realization of the capacity that is intended to serve the knowledge of the Azores Sea”.

“ It is a capacity to strengthen scientific research and improve the information available to monitor and protect our marine ecosystems,” he said.

The first phase of the AMPO2026 campaign took place between October 26 and Tuesday and had scientific services contracted by the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) to the University of the Azores, through the OKEANOS Institute, responsible for the scientific component.

The studies were oriented to acquire knowledge about deep habitats and to establish reference data that can support future monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the implementation of the protected marine areas that integrate the Protected Marine Areas Network of the Azores.

OKEANOS was responsible for the scientific planning of missions, the definition of methodologies and work to be carried out, participation in the implementation of scientific activities, and the processing and organization of the data and results obtained.

Mário Rui Pinho considered that “the value of this ship is measured precisely by its effective use”, allowing “to create better conditions for science to know the sea of the Azores and for this knowledge to support decisions increasingly sustained on its management and conservation”.

Azores Ocean continues the AMPO2026 campaign with a second operational phase, scheduled between November 7th and December 9th, in cooperation with the Portuguese Navy and with scientific coordination of the Hydrographic Institute.

In the context of this new stage, baptometric and geophysical surveys are planned south of the islands of São Miguel and Faial.

Financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, under the C10 – Mar Component, the ‘Azores Ocean’ integrates the investment of the ‘cluster’ of the Azores Sea and represents, in the ship as a whole, scientific equipment and submarine vehicle operated remotely an investment of around EUR 30 million.

With about 46 meters long, diesel-electric propulsion and ability to perform multidisciplinary scientific operations to great depths, the ship is equipped with advanced systems of bathymetry, sonar, underwater acoustics, environmental monitoring and deep sea research.