Ocean Science Services (OSS) provide support for national and international marine research programmes through three teams:
- Research Vessel Operations
- Advanced Seabed Mapping
- Oceanographic Services
Research Vessel Operations manage the Marine Institute’s research fleet, the RV Celtic Explorer and the RV Celtic Voyager, and also manage the foreign research vessel notification process. The 65m long RV Celtic Explorer is a highly sophisticated low-noise multipurpose research vessel designed for undertaking a wide array of offshore and deep-sea survey operations.The RV Celtic Voyager is a 31.4m multipurpose vessel suited to coastal research and off shore survey operations. Both vessels are fully fitted with state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation, laboratories and IT equipment and are used for a variety of applications including fisheries research, environmental monitoring, seabed mapping, oceanology, seismic surveys, student training and meteorological investigations.
Advanced Mapping Service Group carries out routine hydrographic and geophysical mapping for the Irish National Seabed Survey, the Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Irelands Marine Resource (INFOMAR) and benthic fisheries projects. The team has considerable expertise in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and resource mapping, including aspects of aggregates exploration and marine pelagic and benthic habitat mapping. The Advanced Mapping Section also mobilises and carries out rig site geo hazard surveys, pipeline investigations and are an active partners in the Mapping of European Seabed Habitats Project (MESH); concentrating on development of habitat mapping tools. This section also has the tools and infrastructure that permits acquisition, processing and interpretation of large survey data sets.
Oceanographic Services provide comprehensive oceanographic services, including the National Weather Buoy Network of five buoys around the Irish coast. The team is also involved in the establishment of an Irish tide gauge network, ocean modelling, satellite remote sensing and oceanographic support of diverse seagoing research programmes related to marine fisheries and environment.
Ocean Science Services is headed up by Mr. Micheal Gillooly