EMEPC conducts hydrographic campaign in the Azores Sea

Portuguese Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC) carried out, from June 22 to August 21, a new hydrographic campaign in the Azores in collaboration with the Portuguese Navy under the cooperation protocol between EMEPC and the Hydrographic Institute.

During 1,212 hours of navigation, the seabed was mapped over an area of 82,805 km2 (almost the size of mainland Portugal), down to depths of 5,500 meters, in areas previously unsurveyed. To obtain these results, the vessel NRP D. Carlos I sailed 7,490 nautical miles, approximately 13,870 km.

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The data now acquired allows us to complement the coverage of seabed bathymetry and morphology and improve the resolution of underwater relief in areas of interest for the extension of the continental shelf.

 

The main mission of EMEPC is to continue the work of strengthening the basis and defending Portugal's submission to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) for the determination of the outer limit of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.

Since 2017, with the start of the assessment of the Portuguese submission by the Subcommittee designated by the CLPC, the EMEPC has been integrated the delegation representing Portugal to this United Nations body, with the aim of providing clarifications and additional or complementary information that supports Portugal's interests regarding the location of the outer limit of the continental shelf.

The data acquired, in addition to being relevant for the defense of this project, enhances knowledge of the deep sea, thus contributing to Portugal's technical and scientific progress in the maritime domain.