Flanders Marine Institute - Eurofleets

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Enriched family-office · Found: 2026-03-11 08:11

Vlaams Instituut Voor De Zee Vzw (VLIZ) is the Flanders Marine Institute, a centre for marine and coastal research. As a partner in various projects and ...

Source: https://www.eurofleets.eu/partner/flanders-marine-institute/

Funding Details

Funder: Eurofleets (European Commission / Horizon 2020)
Funding Goal: Provide transnational access to European research vessels, ROVs, AUVs and marine equipment for ocean and coastal research
Funding Amount: In-kind: covers vessel use, crew, fuel, operating costs, team travel expenses, and equipment/sample transport (no cash grants)
How to Apply: Three access pathways: (1) SEA Programme — apply during scheduled calls for dedicated ship-time on ocean or regional vessels; (2) Co-PI Programme — continuous rolling applications for early-career researchers to join scheduled cruises; (3) Remote Transnational Access — continuous rolling submissions for samples or data access. Applications are submitted through the Eurofleets website. An Expression of Interest form is available on the site.
Target Region: Europe (pan-European fleet), with international applicants welcome
Contact: Dr. Anneli Strobel, eurofleetsplus@awi.de, +49 471 4831-1479. Eurofleets AISBL, Rue Vautier 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Last Checked: 2026-03-11 19:46

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must be a researcher or research team (European or international)
Industry partners, early-career researchers, and female researchers are especially encouraged to apply

Project Scope

Proposals must be for marine/ocean research requiring ship-time or marine equipment access
Choose appropriate access pathway: SEA Programme (full ship-time), Co-PI Programme (join scheduled cruise), or Remote Transnational Access (samples/data)

Constraints

Submit application during an open call period (SEA Programme) or on a rolling basis (Co-PI and RTA)
Research must align with Eurofleets fleet capabilities (27 vessels, ROVs, AUVs, telepresence)

Summary

Eurofleets is a pan-European alliance of marine research infrastructure originally funded under the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme (grant agreement No. 824077), coordinated by the Marine Institute in Ireland. The programme provides transnational access to a fleet of 27 research vessels and specialized marine equipment including 7 ROVs and 5 AUVs, enabling researchers to conduct ocean and coastal science across European waters. The programme offers three access pathways: the SEA Programme for dedicated ship-time on ocean and regional vessels, the Co-PI Programme for early-career researchers to join scheduled cruises, and Remote Transnational Access for obtaining samples or data without being physically on board. Eurofleets covers vessel use, crew, fuel, operating costs, team travel expenses, and equipment/sample transport. Both European and international applicants are welcome, with encouragement for industry partners, early-career researchers, and female researchers. The specific page reviewed is a partner profile for the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) in Oostende, Belgium, which contributes the Research Vessel Simon Stevin, ROV Genesis (2000m depth), and an AUV (1000m depth) to the fleet. In May 2025, Eurofleets transitioned from its Horizon 2020 project phase to a permanent organization (Eurofleets AISBL), registered in Brussels, focusing on strengthening cooperation among European research vessel operators and accelerating fleet greening. The calls page currently shows no active calls, but the AISBL structure suggests future access rounds are planned.

Historical Context

Eurofleets+ was funded under EU Horizon 2020 (grant 824077). In May 2025, the consortium transitioned to a permanent structure as Eurofleets AISBL, founded by Marine Institute (Ireland), CNR (Italy), IFREMER (France), and RBINS (Belgium). The AISBL was presented at the Third UN Ocean Conference in Nice in 2025. A Fourth General Assembly was scheduled for March 2026 in Brussels. New members continue to join (e.g., AFBI).

Sources

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