NorSOOP (Norwegian Ships of Opportunity program) is a national research infrastructure that uses ships of opportunity, such as container ships, ferries, and cruise ships, to support oceanic and atmospheric research and observations. NorSOOP will help to find ways to detect and manage human impacts on the ocean.

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NorSOOP has ships that operate regularly in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea (including coastal Norway and fjords), and the Barents Sea in the Arctic.

 

The ships are equipped with state-of-the-art environmental sensors and samplers to measure physical, chemical, and biological processes in Norwegian waters. Some of the ships will also have lab space available for advanced tasks and experiments.

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NorSOOP is a project funded by the Research Council of Norway for 26.9 mNOK over 5 years to establish a ship of opportunity-based infrastructure to support marine and atmospheric research.​