NRP Admiral Gago Coutinho finishes scientific research mission off the Portuguese coast

The NRP Admiral Gago Coutinho completed on 23 April the multidisciplinary hydro-oceanographic mission that began on 21 March, carrying out more than five thousand kilometers of hydrographic surveys along the coast of Continental Portugal.

During the 34 days of mission, between Viana do Castelo and Faro, several actions were carried out in scientific projects and programs that allow contributing to the knowledge of the ocean and with the collaboration of different technical teams of the Hydrographic Institute (HI) and, in the first phase, a scientific team of the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

The ship carried out a total of 665 hours of navigation and traveled 3 517 nautical miles (equivalent to 6 513 km). During this period, hydrographic surveys represented a total of 424 hours and 2 762 nautical miles (equivalent to 5 115 km) traveled. 

The activities performed include the collection of vertical and superficial sediment samples from the seabed and the collection of water surface samples for microplastic analysis. 213 oceanographic stations were carried out for sediment collection and 70 samples were taken on the surface of the water.

The collection and subsequent foundling of the multiparametric buoys of Ocean Faro and Nazaré coastal was also carried out, as part of the maintenance of the coastal ocean monitoring network maintained by the IH.

During this mission there was also the opportunity for training and internal training of the garrison, through lectures, firefighting exercises, helm damage, man-to-sea exercises, launching of pyrotechnics, abandoning the bridge, and handling portable weapons.