SPAIN
The 79-metre-long vessel has two laboratories. The oceanography laboratory offers facilities for marine geology and physical oceanography. It contains integrated and portable oceanographic equipment, ROV equipment capable of working at a depth of 300 metres, and instrumentation for biochemical analysis. In the food safety and traceability laboratory, marine biotoxins, proteins, marine-species pathologies, water quality, and waste can be tested for and studied. Also in the food safety and traceability laboratory, a microbiology unit has biological security cabins, heaters and incubators, optical microscopes, colony counters, a photometer, a centrifuge, and an autoclave. A biochemical unit holds gas and liquid chromatographers, a spectrophotometer, a light meter, and thermal cyclers. Both laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art technology for scientific research training at any level and are adaptable to the training and scientific needs of any level of student. The laboratories can also be used for basic seafood fishing and aquaculture training.
under severe conditions and variable flows.
Agustina Villarón, Head of Technical Services and Enrique de Cárdenas González, Deputy Director, Directorate General of Fisheries Resources Protection, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
Environmental protection In line with Spain’s ambitious marine environmental protection policy, the ship’s design and construction integrate the latest standards in support of best environmental practice. Two features stand out. The ship’s cutting-edge automated ballast water treatment
system, which is in compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) regulations, eliminates organisms transported in ballast water (bacteria and plants, for example) without discharging any polluting waste. The system, which requires only standard marine equipment maintenance and can be operated locally and remotely, does not interfere with normal ballast operations and works efficiently
The ship’s fouling control represents the latest advance in hull roughness control. A specially developed paint protects the hull by providing a smooth surface that inhibits the ability of marine organisms to embed themselves. This provides an 80 improvement in static resistance to embeddings, a 40 improvement in the detachment of embeddings, and a 60 improvement in resistance to abrasion. The enhanced biofouling protection results in a 38 reduction in frictional resistance, increasing hydrodynamic performance and allowing a savings in fuel consumption of up to 6.
The Intermares programme In its short life – it was begun in 2010 – the Intermares programme has achieved a great deal. Training sessions, held aboard the training vessel Intermares, have
Stowed on the ship’s upper deck is a 16.5-metre, multi-purpose boat for group training in small-scale, sustainable fishing. The boat uses the most common gear, tackle, and tools for trawling, bottom and surface long-line fishing, seine fishing, and gill and creel fishing, among others. Intermares has a range of 20,000 miles and can remain at sea for 45 to 50 days. It is designed to accommodate 48 students, 10 teachers, and 15 crew members in modern comfort, as well as exceeding all requirements for conducting classes and marine research. www.eurofishmagazine.com
Training in basic onboard safety and rescue techniques are an important areas of study offered on the training ship Intermares. Eurofish Magazine 5 / 2012
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