NORWEGIAN SHIPS OF OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACCESS PROGRAM
The primary objective of the Norwegian Ship of Opportunity Program (NorSOOP) Research and Development Access Program (RDAP) is to provide coordinated ‘free of charge’ physical and virtual access to ships and instruments that are operated by NorSOOP. Applications are welcome from academia, the institute sector, and industry. Funded projects will receive travel costs (transportation, lodging, and food) as well as technical assistance by the operator of the NorSOOP infrastructure that is providing access. This access opportunity is expected to promote innovation within marine research and to develop long-term collaborations between NorSOOP and its users and stakeholders.

NorSOOP’s RDAP will be organized in four calls: 2019 (90 kNOK), 2020 (150 kNOK; **current RDAP call**), 2021 (150 kNOK), and 2022 (150 kNOK). For each call, ~30% of the available funding is earmarked for projects that are led by or involving student researchers. Projects that are contributing to Masters or PhD theses will be given priority.

A total of 150 kNOK is available for the 1st call, and we are anticipating that 3-6 projects are selected. Maximum project budget is ~30 kNOK. The duration of each project can range from several days to months. If the access is purely remote virtual access, the access period can also be up to one year in length.

TYPES OF ACCESS
Physical access: Come aboard and join us on ships of opportunity that are operated by NorSOOP. Projects can utilize existing sensors and samplers on these ships, or the project can propose to test/implement new sensors and samplers.

Virtual access: Ships of opportunity are equipped with a number of oceanographic sensors and samplers. Data is collected from these equipment and transferred to shore, and are available for research projects. Additionally, we can provide support for installing and operating your equipment from our ships.

Combined access: A project can also be a combination of physical and virtual access. An example is several days of physical access to install a sensor that measures a variable of interest, followed by a virtual access period when the sensor is in operation and collecting new data. Auxiliary data from the existing equipment on the ship can be provided.

Example project #1
The research team would like to collect samples from a ship of opportunity periodically over a few months: 1 researcher embarking on 2 collection trips (each trip is 2 days long). This is 4 days of “Physical Access”. The cost for flights, overnight accommodations on land or ship, and food requested is 10 kNOK.

Example project #2
The research team has a new sensor that they would like to deploy for 6 months. This will involve 1 researcher embarking on an installation and recovery trip (each trip is 2 days long). During the 6 months, NorSOOP personnel will provide technical support and auxiliary data from other sensors. This project will request “Combined Access” that constitutes 4 days of “Physical Access” and 6 months of “Virtual Access”.

SHIPS AVAILABLE FOR NorSOOP RDAP 3RD CALL
1) Skagerrak/Kattegat/Eastern North Sea: M/S Color Fantasy: Oslo, Norway – Kiel, Germany (frequency of 1 day each way)
FerryBox system with sensors for salinity, temperature, oxygen, turbidity, chl a fluorescence, cDOM fluorescence, pCO2, and pH. Deckboard sensors for radiance/irradiance. 24 x 1 L autosampler.

2) Norwegian Coast: M/S Trollfjord: Bergen, Norway – Kirkenes, Norway (frequency of ~5 days each way)
FerryBox system with sensors for salinity, temperature, oxygen, turbidity, chl a fluorescence, cDOM fluorescence, pCO2, and pH. Deckboard sensors for radiance/irradiance. 24 x 1 L autosampler.

3) Norwegian Coast: M/S Vesterålen: Bergen, Norway – Kirkenes, Norway (frequency of ~5 days each way)
FerryBox system with sensors for salinity, temperature, oxygen, turbidity, chl a fluorescence.

Disclaimer: Ships and equipment available in the NorSOOP RDAP that are listed above are subject to change and availability. COVID-19 restrictions have unfortunately limited operations and access to some ships. All visiting researchers must be accompanied by NorSOOP personnel aboard the ships.

HOW TO APPLY
Complete online application form below.
Submission deadline (3rd call): priority will be given to applications received by 15 September 2021, but review will be continuous
Decisions will be sent by 15 October 2021

EVALUATION
Applications will be reviewed by the NorSOOP Steering Committee and evaluated based on feasibility, scientific and technical value, and quality of workplan.

QUESTIONS?
Please contact NorSOOP coordinator Andrew King: andrew.king@niva.no