The Marine Institute has today published its Year in Review 2022, a snapshot of some of the organisation’s many highlights during a positive and productive year.
The 24-page publication presents key achievements across the Institute during the year, along with a selection of key facts, figures and photographs.
Dr Paul Connolly, CEO of the Marine Institute, said: “The breadth and quality of Institute activities are a testament to the commitment and innovation of our people as the Marine Institute works to provide ocean knowledge that informs and inspires, benefitting people, policy and planet. Nowhere was this collaborative spirit more apparent than in the major milestone achieved in 2022, with the launch of our new national marine research vessel, the RV Tom Crean”.
The state-of-the-art vessel, the RV Tom Crean, was built and delivered on schedule, and on budget. This was a remarkable achievement when one notes that it was constructed entirely during the challenging and ever-changing Covid-19 pandemic.
The state-of-the-art vessel, the RV Tom Crean pictured on a visit to Cork Harbour. The new ship was built and delivered on schedule, and on budget Photo: Bob Bateman
Other highlights presented in Year in Review 2022 include the continued scientific advice and services provided to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and other government departments, agencies and stakeholders, including the public. These services are essential to achieving a sustainable ocean economy, protecting and managing our marine ecosystems, and meeting EU obligations.
Some 4,164km2 of seabed was mapped in the Celtic Sea by the Institute in 2022 as part of the INFOMAR programme in partnership with Geological Survey Ireland.
Climate change continued to be an important focus area for the Institute during the year, as it worked with climate stakeholders in defining the climate services they need for the marine domain, supported work in the reporting of Climate Actions and continued support for Ireland’s climate change research.
The organisation’s Research Funding Office administered €7.6 million in new research investments awarded under the organisation’s Marine Research Programme during 2022. This included funding ship-time on the research vessels and remotely operated vehicle, and the funding of wide-ranging and impactful research projects.
In September 2022, the Marine Institute was delighted to participate in and contribute to the ICES Annual Science Conference, held in Dublin, where leading marine scientists from around the world came together to share scientific research supporting a sustainable ocean.
Other key events and initiatives during the year included the visit of the Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Irish President, Michael D Higgins, to the newly commissioned RV Tom Crean, the launch of the Our Shared Ocean programme, presenting the 2022 Stock Book to Government and producing the Institute’s first Climate Action Roadmap (outlining how the Institute will work towards meeting its sustainability and energy reduction targets). The Institute was also proud to publish its Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Plan in 2022 and also progressed work on its new Strategic Plan, due to be published this year.
View the Marine Institute Year in Review 2022 here
