Since the initial tests carried out at the EMEPC indoor pool, the multibeam (purchased by EMSO-PT funds), was taken to the water in the last week of April. The tests were done near the marina of Oeiras, in order to have a sheltered area where the movements of the vessel were minimized.

The purpose of the tests was to verify the operation of the equipment in an environment closer to the real operational environment, to test the communication with the various complementary systems and their software, to look for a real data collected in a real environment so that the people who will operate the equipment gain some sensitivity to the entire acquisition process.

The next step will be to integrate the system into the ROV Luso, which is expected to happen during the first half of June.

The crew involved in these test were the 4 members of the operational team of EMEPC, that will be also working with this equipment in ROV Luso: António Calado, Andreia Afonso, Miguel Souto e Bruno Ramos.

During the months of July and August, the ROV Luso will be in operation as part of the iMirabilis campaign, which will have a leg between Vigo and Las Palmas coordinated by EMEPC and a second Leg in Cape Verde coordinated by the Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia.