Cruise inventory
Jointly supported by BODC and the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network
The cruise inventory is a catalogue of UK research vessel activities dating from 1948 to the present day. Currently, it contains entries for 8876 cruises from 699 individual ships.
It is a valuable resource for scientists, programme managers and data managers providing information on who has collected what, where and when, in addition to details of measurements taken and samples collected.
Search the cruise inventory.
The information is assembled using the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Cruise Summary Report (CSR) forms, formerly known as ROSCOP forms. These are completed by the Principal Scientific Officer or appropriate ship's officer for each research cruise or voyage on ship of opportunity. Forms from UK activities are submitted to BODC.
Whereas CSRs provide a summary of cruise activities, more detailed cruise information is provided in the Cruise Report which is produced in the months following the end of the cruise.
Documentation available
The following documentation is available in both Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats
- Notes for filling in the Cruise Summary Report Form
(111 KB) 
(133 KB) - Cruise Summary Report Form
(432 KB) (1043
KB)
- BODC Guide to Cruise Report Compilation
(64 KB) (133
KB)
Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN)
MEDIN currently reports to the Inter Agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology (IACMST) and expects to report to its replacement body the Marine Science Coordinating Committee (MSCC).
One of the aims of MEDIN is to improve the accessibility and availability of marine data through the development, maintenance and dissemination of catalogues and inventories of marine data. The cruise inventory is one of the catalogues maintained by the group in collaboration with BODC.
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) maintains a database of Cruise Summary Reports from other countries, including forms from the UK submitted through BODC.
Related BODC pages
| Where to find data | Our international role | |
| Information and inventories | Submitting data to BODC |
Related external links
| Marine Environmental Data Action Group (MEDAG) | Inter Agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology (IACMST) | |
| Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) | International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) |
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