10 years of the Balearic Islands’ oceanographic vessel
10 years of the Balearic Islands’ oceanographic vessel
The Coastal Observation and Forecasting System of the Balearic Islands (SOCIB) is one of Spain’s Large Singular Scientific-Technical Infrastructures. In fact, it is the first and so far the only one that exists in the Balearic Islands, similar to the Astrophysics Center in the Canary Islands or the Alba Synchrotron Particle Accelerator in Catalonia.
Its oceanographic vessel, precisely named B/O Socib, which has recently been overhauled at Astilleros de Mallorca, is equipped with the latest available technology. Built in Vigo in 2012 with funding from local, European, and Balearic sources, it is dedicated to oceanic and coastal research.
It is a catamaran, which gives it optimal stability, allowing for laboratory work at sea. It can operate up to seven days at sea, carrying seven scientists and nine crew members, distributed among three double cabins, two single cabins and two quadruple cabins. It has a kitchen, laundry, and general dining room. It also has a 27-square-meter laboratory on a 60-square-meter working deck.
With a length of 24 meters and a beam of 9, this catamaran is powered by two MTU engines of 1620 HP each, allowing it to cruise at 13 knots and reach a top speed of 23.
The SOCIB catamaran is part of the fleet of oceanographic vessels of the Ministry of Science and Innovation, which also includes other ships such as the Ángeles Alvariño, the Ramón Margalef or the Sarmiento de Gamboa, among others.
The latest campaign of the B/O Socib took place in May, when the Coastal Observation and Forecasting System continued its in-depth systematic study of the marine currents of the Mallorca and Ibiza channels, which are highly relevant for Mediterranean biodiversity as they are a “choke point” in the cyclonic return flow before exiting to the Atlantic Ocean. The campaign has mainly consisted of sampling physical and biological parameters using the ship’s CTD probe, surface drifting buoys and an underwater glider, which continue their autonomous navigation, collecting and sending data in real time to SOCIB, which makes them available to all interested parties.
SOCIB will have a new headquarters in a building at the Muelle Viejo of the Port of Palma, which will have 3,748 square meters spread over three floors, with capacity to accommodate more than one hundred people including scientists, students, visitors, and researchers. The building could be operational in 2023 and represents a step forward in positioning science and marine research in the Balearic Islands. In the image on the right next to these lines, the location of the new headquarters.