UG Oceanograph set off in voyage to Spain

On Thursday, from the Gdynia port, the oceanographer of the University of Gdańsk set off in 23 days voyage research. During the cruise, scientists will examine air quality and the level of microplastics in the sea.

Ship of the University of Gdańsk R/V Oceanograph sailed from Gdynia port in voyage research to Spain. His one-way trip will take 23 days, in which about 100 scientists representing SEA-EU, a consortium of six European seaside universities, will conduct five one-day voyagethree complex projects.

The coordinator of the scientific committee of the cruise with the UG Prof. Adam Sokołowski stressed that one of the scientific objectives of the cruise is to compare the characteristics of a given sea area with other areas along the western shore of Europe.

Among the test factors are air quality, gas accumulation in surface sediments and microplastic levels. On such a broad geographical scale, such studies have not yet been carried out. In a sense, our results will be unique and even pioneering.

Adam Sokołowski, coordinator of the scientific committee of the cruise with the UG

During the cruise, the ship will go to three ports: Germany, France and at the end of Spain.

The next stop of the ship is Kilonia, where some Polish scientists will exchange with the research team of Chrystian Albrecht University in Kilonia.

Magdalena Nieczuj-Goniszewska, spokesman for the University of Gdańsk

The ship will dock in the Spanish port (in Cadiz) on 17 June, five days later it will start returning to its home port in Gdynia. The entire route of the cruise is 4000 nautical miles, along with the ship will be on the water 39 days.

Katamaran built in 2016 in the Gdynia shipyard Nauta is equipped with specialized equipment for interdisciplinary research of the environment and nature of seas and oceans. In addition to the laboratories inside the ship there are also observatories and a seminar room for students. Thanks to its rich equipment, Oceanographer is the most modern research unit in the Baltic.

Due to the extensive range of studies that are carried out using the unit (seabed tests, batimetric tests, chemical tests, geological studies), The oceanographer combines functions of different types of units. The ship uses a two-hull structure that minimizes the angle heelu, which is particularly important when conducting tests at sea, as any unintentional movement of the ship may interfere with measurements.

Source: PAP