European Ocean Research Fleets - uefiscdi

A. Description of existing fleets and their management
A1.3. Age of the fleets and its foreseeable evolution
Number of Research Vessels
50
45
40
35
30
11 G
11
Regional
Ocean
Global
25
15 O
10
Global
20
12
15
12
8
Ocean
10
20 R
4 G
10
5
12
8
6 O
Regional
0
3
3 R
2005 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2025
Figure 4: Evolution of the European academic research fleets without any plans for new builds;
years
in about 20 years the fleet will be reduced by 70%.
© Erik Ask
Assuming that all major refits or plans for new
vessels to be in service until 2010 are known, it
is possible to summarise that:
– Global class: the number of Global class
vessels (G) will stay at 10 until 2010, and
beyond until approximately 2015;
– Ocean class: the number of Ocean class
vessels (O) will decrease from 15 to about 12
until 2010, and beyond until approximately
2015 if no further commitments are made;
RV James Cook, a Global Research Vessel
Since 2006, the RV James Cook (UK) has replaced
the RV Charles Darwin (Ocean becomes Global class)
and in 2007 the new Spanish RV Sarmiento de Gamboa
(Ocean Class) will be operational.
– Regional class: Regional class vessels (R)
are in danger: their number will dramatically
decrease from the current 20 to 12 in 2010, to 8
in 2015 and many fewer (3) until 2025 if renewal
and/or major refit are not started now.
The lifespan of the current European academically
used Research Vessels is shown in Figure 3 and it includes
currently committed construction of new ships.
Assuming a lifetime of 30 years for a Research Vessel,
the future of the European research fleet is projected,
considering that no plans for refi t or renewal
are known.
18 | European Ocean Research Fleets