Marine facilities – policy and guidance

Using NERC marine facilities

If you have secured funding from NERC

Scientists who have secured science funding from NERC can apply to NERC for access to its research ships and marine equipment. Under these arrangements the only cost that is payable by the scientist is the cost of all technician and equipment support.

Such access to NERC’s marine facilities will only be provided to science that is of international quality (science that has been graded seven or higher). For more information on including use of marine facilities in a NERC funding application, please see the Grants Handbook.

If you have secured funding from a non-NERC peer-reviewed source

Scientists who have secured science funding from a non-NERC peer-reviewed source (such as the EU or National Science Foundation) or from commissioned research, can also apply to NERC for access to its research ships and marine equipment. The costs associated with such requests should in the first instance be discussed with NERC Marine Planning.

Ask a question about Marine Planning

Email: marineplanning@nerc.ukri.org

If you have secured funding from a non-peer reviewed source

A two-page science case should be submitted to NERC so that arrangements can be made for it to be reviewed by the most appropriate members of NERC’s Peer Review College to ensure that the proposed science is of international quality.

Application for ship time and marine equipment

All scientists bidding for free at the point of use access to any of NERC’s marine facilities are required to submit an online Ship-time and Marine Equipment (SME) application form to NERC by creating a cruise profile on the Marine Facilities Planning website.

Find out more about applying to use NERC’s marine facilities.

The chief scientists’ role

The chief scientist on the SME can be different from the principal investigator on any associated grant application, recognising the importance of the chief scientist role.

Guidelines have been developed to provide a clear indication of the expectations that NERC has of anyone undertaking the role of the chief scientist.

View guidance notes and guidelines for chief scientists.

Marine facilities budget

The NERC marine facilities programmes are developed within the limits of affordability.

For National Marine Facilities, the infrastructure allocation from NERC will allow it to support the NERC marine facilities programmes. But National Marine Facilities will only be able to support a limited number of high load activities in any one year. These high load activities include, for example seismic and giant piston coring cruises.

The RV Prince Madog, operated by Prince Madog Offshore Services, is run on a pay as you go basis as a recognised NERC facility, whereby all costs are covered by funding secured by the researcher.

Use of mooring equipment

NERC’s moorings policy

In order to provide optimal service from the National Marine Equipment Pool and ensure the equipment is put to best use, NERC’s moorings policy has been put in place.

Read documents about the moorings policy, best practice and risk management, along with the risk assessment form.

Application and risk assessment

1. In the first instance you are strongly advised to contact the programme manager at National Marine Facilities to discuss your mooring equipment requirements.
2. The chief scientist is then required to complete the moorings risk assessment form. This must be emailed to to National Marine Facilities and copied to Marine Planning Support so that the risk assessment process can be initiated. The deadline for receipt of the moorings risk assessment form is two months prior to the closing date of the discovery science grants round, or the research programme closing date.
3. The level of risk will initially be assessed by National Marine Facilities. If the risk is considered to be greater than a low level, the application will be sent for review by experts in the scientific community – the NERC Expert Scientific Moorings Assessment Group.

Read about the Moorings Assessment Group.

Ask a question about Marine Planning

Email: marineplanning@nerc.ukri.org

National Oceanography Centre, Programme Managers

National Marine Facilities, National Oceanographic Centre
Email: nmfops@noc.ac.uk

Diplomatic clearance

International relationships at sea are defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Among the issues with which UNCLOS is concerned is the conduct of marine scientific research. In practice, this means permission must be gained from the country that owns the relevant area at least six months before research is scheduled to take place in the area.

Read further information about  diplomatic clearance is available in the chief scientist guidance notes.

Post-cruise reporting

So that NERC can evaluate the service provided during each cruise, the chief scientist is required to fill in a Post-Cruise Assessment (PCA) form. PCAs are on the MFP. PCA completion is mandatory, preferably while on board or within a timeframe agreed with the Project Manager.

NERC is interested in feedback and comment about each cruise, so that it can ensure that the science community continues to be provided with high quality support while at sea.

The Cruise Programme Review Group will review all forms. In addition to the PCA form, chief scientists must also submit both summary and comprehensive cruise reports, detailed below.

Cruise report

Chief scientists will be required to submit a summary report form to the British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) within seven days of the end of their cruise.

Chief scientists will also be expected to provide a comprehensive cruise report within six months of completion of the cruise. These reports will become available to view via the inventory of cruises on the BODC website.

Acknowledgement of support

All users of data and samples collected during a cruise are requested to acknowledge both direct and indirect ship support in publications by quoting the cruise number. (Indirect ship support is when the individual does not participate in the cruise but benefits from data collected.) This acknowledgement facilitates citation searches and monitoring of outputs from services provided by NERC.

Last updated: 2 March 2026