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The OKEANOS Friday Talks, held on 9 October, focused on the new research vessel Azores Ocean and the work of the Portuguese Navy’s Hydrographic Institute in the Azores, bringing together researchers from the Institute and representatives involved in the vessel’s operation and missions.

Frigate Captain Pedro Vieira, a native of Terceira Island and commanding officer of the RV Azores Ocean, presented “Azores Ocean: An Introduction to the Community.” His presentation provided an overview of the vessel’s capabilities, systems and scientific equipment available to support marine research.

The equipment presented included systems for mapping and characterising the seafloor, such as the EM 2040 MKII and EM 304 MKII multibeam echo sounders, the TOPAS PS18 sub-bottom profiler and the SU92 sonar. Systems for monitoring fishing operations were also introduced, including the PX/TV80 Trawl Monitoring System and the SIMRAD FX80 Trawl Sonar with Camera, alongside environmental sensors, positioning and navigation systems, and data visualisation and management tools.

The session also featured “The Hydrographic Mission in the Azores,” presented by António Tavares, hydrographer and oceanographer, who introduced the work carried out by the Hydrographic Institute in the region.

Beyond the presentations, the session provided an opportunity for OKEANOS researchers who will work aboard the RV Azores Ocean to exchange ideas and engage in discussion with the vessel’s commanding officer and the Hydrographic Institute representative. The discussions addressed questions, explored opportunities for collaboration and proposed new avenues for scientific activity, drawing on the researchers’ knowledge of the Azorean marine environment and its specific characteristics.

Upcoming missions of the Hydrographic Institute were also discussed, including the possibility of integrating one or two OKEANOS researchers on board. This would encourage the participation of the scientific community in research campaigns and strengthen the links between oceanographic research and hydrographic activities in the region.

This edition of the Friday Talks provided a valuable opportunity to bring teams together, share knowledge and explore new avenues for collaboration, strengthening the relationship between OKEANOS, the Portuguese Navy and the Hydrographic Institute in support of scientific knowledge of the Azorean ocean.