Klas Lackschewitz Becomes ERVO Group Chairman
Dr Klas Lackschewitz recently took the chair of the European Research Vessel Operators (ERVO) Group. The group is an initiative of European research vessel managers from 20 different countries which regularly meet to share their experiences with small to medium-sized research vessels. Since 1999 the members of the ERVO Group meet once a year for a 2-day conference.
The focus then is on questions like: with which technologies have research vessels to be equipped with to fulfil the scientific demands? Are there recommendations and tips regarding the research vessel equipment? How can the expeditions be organized more efficiently?
The exchange of experiences and the close collaboration of the member states also allow a more efficient coordination of the expeditions. If for example there is no German research vessel available in the Mediterranean Sea for a research team from Germany, Spanish colleagues can be asked whether one of their research vessels can be used for an expedition.
Since 2010 Dr. Lackschewitz is the research vessel manager at GEOMAR and member of the ERVO Group. He accepted the 2017 to 2019 ERVO Chair position three years ago. Two years before his inauguration, Klas Lackschewitz had the opportunity to write the report of the conferences and learn from the chairperson at that time as a vice chair.
Catalogue of European Ocean Research Fleets
As the chair of the group, Dr. Lackschewitz organizes the annual conference where these subjects are discussed. Moreover, he chairs the meetings of the 6-headed Executive Committee which meets 1-2 times a year when required. Furthermore, he and the vice chair are the treasurers of the ERVO Group.
Beside these duties, Klas Lackschewitz will publish in cooperation with the European Marine Board (EMB) a newly edited version of the catalogue European Ocean Research Fleets. In this catalogue all research vessels and large-scale facilities used in Europe are registered. Dr. Lackschewitz intends to update the list of research vessels and make the ERVO Group more visible in Europe.
The paper stacks on his desk are the visual result of the consultation on the scientific-technical equipment of the new research vessel, which will be the successor of the RV Meteor and the RV Poseidon and the operation planning and the distribution of the budgetary funds for the research vessels. Thus, Klas Lackschewitz collects further valuable experiences to report to his colleagues about at the next meeting of the ERVO Group.
