The first meeting of the Interdepartmental Expert Commission of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the Marine Research Fleet and Marine Expeditions, chaired by the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Gennady Krasnikov, was held at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

It was attended by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Dmitry Pyshny, members of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, representatives of Rosnedra, Rosrybolovstvo, Roshydromet and scientific organizations.

Opening the meeting, Gennady Krasnikov noted the main tasks of the Commission created for scientific, methodological and expert guidance of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the study and development of the ocean and seas of Russia. Among the main areas of work can be highlighted the provision of scientific and methodological guidance of marine expeditionary activities, examination and approval by the Russian Academy of Sciences of a consolidated plan for marine expeditionary research and their main results; the organization of broad interdepartmental interaction and cooperation in conducting marine expeditionary research in the World Ocean and the seas of Russia; the development of measures necessary for the most effective use of the existing marine research fleet of organizations of various departmental affiliations.

The meeting participants heard a report by RAS academicians Mikhail Flint and Robert Nigmatulin, "The research fleet under the operational control of RAS institutes and its readiness to implement the 2025 expeditionary research plan." Their speech assessed the state of the current research fleet of research institutes and presented proposals for maintaining the fleet in working order. The scientists also analyzed the implementation of the expeditionary activity plan of the research fleet in recent years and presented an expedition plan for 2025.

One of the important topics of discussion was the prospects for updating the scientific fleet of RAS institutes and interdepartmental cooperation in organizing expeditionary research to solve the most important national problems.

The heads of scientific organizations subordinate to the Federal Agency for Fisheries, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia and Roshydromet made presentations on the topic of "Interaction between RAS institutes and other departments for the most effective use of the scientific fleet in order to solve priority state tasks." Their reports provided assessments of the state of the departmental scientific expeditionary fleet.

In conclusion, the commission members touched upon the topics of building new vessels, the widespread use of underwater vehicles and other modern research tools, the need for the Russian Academy of Sciences to conduct an examination of international scientific projects implemented in the economic zone of the Russian Federation and the Arctic, and the formation of an interdepartmental program for research of the World Ocean to ensure a comprehensive solution to priority national tasks in the field of research of the ocean and seas of Russia.

The meeting determined that the state of the domestic research and development fleet requires close attention. Given the high competition from researchers from other countries, this work should be comprehensive in order to ensure our country’s access to the most important strategic resources of the world’s oceans and the status of a great maritime power. The commission will make recommendations in this regard.