The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI)
The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, is a strategic instrument to develop the scientific integration of Europe and to strengthen its international outreach. The competitive and open access to high quality Research Infrastructures supports and benchmarks the quality of the activities of European scientists, and attracts the best researchers from around the world. The mission of ESFRI is to support a coherent and strategy-led approach to policy-making on research infrastructures in Europe, and to facilitate multilateral initiatives leading to the better use and development of research infrastructures, at EU and international level.
European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures
The ESFRI Roadmap identifies new Research Infrastructure (RI) of pan-European interest corresponding to the long term needs of the European research communities, covering all scientific areas, regardless of possible location.
In this context, the new research icebreaker AURORA BOREALIS is the largest European infrastructure project on the ESFRI Roadmap.
A new European Research Icebreaker with Deep-Sea Drilling Capability
Research in the polar regions can only be carried out by sophisticated research vessels. Modern research vessels that are capable of penetrating into the central Arctic are rare. A new state of the art research icebreaker is therefore urgently required to fulfill the needs of European polar research – AURORA BOREALIS.
There have been no comparable vessels available for the design and construction of AURORA BOREALIS. The combination of an icebreaker, drilling ship and multipurpose research vessel - for use in polar regions as well as in the open sea in all seasons therefore requires the development of new technical concepts.
- More information about the preparatory phase of the project AURORA BOREALIS ...
The Project ERICON- AURORA BOREALIS is supported by the European Commission under Framework Programme 7 Contract ERAC 211796.
