National Marine Equipment Pool
Parent Body: Ocean Engineering Division, Southampton Oceanography Centre, Empress Dock, Southampton, SO14 3ZH

Principal Functions
Pool of the more expensive oceanographic equipment available for research at sea.

General Details
The Pool holds a range of commercial oceanographic instruments for research at sea, these consist of oceanographic, geophysical, acoustic and sampling systems. The total value of the pool is of the order of £M10 and the primary use of the equipment is in support of cruises on the NERC research vessels.

Specification
The instruments are, for the main part, standard commercially available systems. Exceptions to this are major facilities such as TOBI and shipboard computer systems.

Special Features
Ocean Engineering Division has a team of some 40 seagoing technical support specialists to operate, maintain and develop the equipment.

Future Plans
To replace ageing equipment with state of the art commercial instruments and develop systems to enhance academic research.

Availability
The facility is available to other bodies in both the private and public sector. There are no restrictions on the type of body that can apply to use the facility. Instruments are available for loan or hire dependent on their availability.

Charging Basis
Published charging rates are available, but these can be subject to negotiation. There would be some restriction on the time of the maximum hire period, instruments would more usually be available for short term loan or hire.

Site Access
The site has ready access for vehicles and local accommodation is available for the hirer’s staff.

Contact Information
Mr Edward Cooper
Ocean Engineering Division
Southampton Oceanography Centre
Empress Dock
Southampton
SO14 3ZH
Telephone:  023 8059 6215   Fax: 023 8059 6267
Telex:  47121 NERCSHIP
Email:      edward.cooper@soc.soton.ac.uk
Web site: http://www.soc.soton.ac.uk/OED/index.html

or

Keith Birch
Business Development
Ocean Technology Division
Southampton Oceanography Centre
Empress Dock
Southampton
SO14 3ZH
Telephone:  +44 (0)23 8059 6105   Fax +44 (0)23 8059 6149
Mobile:        077 1865 6294
Email:      kgb@soc.soton.ac.uk
Web site: http://www.soc.soton.ac.uk/OED/index.html