Funding for research vessel Oceania suspended; crucial for Polish oceanographic studies. The Ministry pledges urgent review of the situation.
The Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education has suspended funding for the research vessel s/y Oceania, operated by the Institute of Oceanology at the Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN). Oceania is Poland’s only research vessel capable of operating beyond the Baltic Sea, and its loss threatens major ongoing research projects. The vessel plays a crucial role in gathering data on the sensitive regions of the Baltic and the Arctic.
Global Collaboration and Consequences
The IO PAN warns that without the necessary funding, Oceania will be decommissioned, jeopardizing Poland’s position in global oceanographic research. The vessel enables significant collaborations with international scientific institutions and attracts millions in research funding from the EU and other sources.
Ministry’s Response
The Ministry has acknowledged the importance of Oceania, promising to urgently reconsider the decision. A final resolution is still pending, but officials assert that the issue is on track for resolution.