Med-SHIP: Advancing Sustainable and Systematic Hydrographic Surveys in the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Ship-based Hydrography Program (Med-SHIP) addresses a critical gapin the monitoring of the Mediterranean Sea by establishing a sustainable initiative forregularly repeated coast-to-coast zonal and meridional full-depth cruises. Anchored withinthe Global Ocean Ship-based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP), Med-SHIPfocuses on collecting Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) to comprehensively assess thebudget of heat, freshwater, carbon, oxygen, and various nutrients in the Mediterraneanbasin.The program, initiated in 2011 as recommended by the Mediterranean Science Commission(CIESM), orchestrates cruises through strategic access to Exclusive Economic Zones(EEZs) in the challenging diplomatic landscape of the region. The Med-SHIP program hasmade substantial strides in executing its objectives, conducting zonal surveys from east towest in 2001, 2011, and 2018, and meridional surveys from north to south in 2016 and 2022.These surveys adhere to the Repeat Hydrography plan outlined in Schroeder et al. (2015)and are complemented by contributions from individual countries and the TransnationalAccess of the Eurofleets RI. The gathered data, spanning physical, chemical, and biologicalEOVs, adhere to the highest international standards and are made publicly accessible inopen data repositories, aligning with the data policy of GO-SHIP. Med-SHIP not onlycontributes to the scientific understanding of long-term changes in the Mediterranean butalso fosters regional collaboration and capacity building, bridging gaps between northernshore countries and those in the Middle East and North Africa.The Med-SHIP program continues to evolve with planned future surveys. The commitment tosustained monitoring and collaboration underscores the program's importance in advancingour understanding of the complex dynamics of the Mediterranean Sea and its implicationsfor global change.