On 26th of September 2009, during a sea trial in the baltic sea, the minister of cultural affairs of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Mr. Henry Tesch (CDU) together with invited guests took the possibility to get an impression of the qualities of the currently most modern German research vessel, RV ‘Maria S. Merian’.
During the 3-hours voyage Mr. Tesch and his guests were not only introduced to the modern techniques on board of the vessel; scientists of the Leibniz-Institute of Baltic Sea Research additionally demonstrated and outlined the diverse possibilities for research activities on board of the multi-disciplinary research vessel.
„As the owning country of the vessel we had great interest in introducing RV ‘Maria S. Merian’ to the research community and to point out that Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is a highly attractive location for marine sciences”, Tesch said. Minister Tesch drew up his guest list as well for another reason. He took the possibility to promote a more broadly structured financing of the scientific work. Up to now the marine science is only financed by the Federal Republic and the littoral states. “But all federal states benefit from the scientific research, for example in the matter of climate related knowledge”, Tesch notes. He announced a soon initiative in order to distribute the costs more broadly.
Besides Mr. Tesch Prof. Jan-Hendrik Olbertz (Minister of Cultural Affairs Saxony-Anhalt), Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm Rothenpieler (Principal Bavarian State Ministry of Sciences, Research and the Arts) and Prof. Matthias Kleiner (President of the German Research Foundation) were taking part in the voyage.
On 28th of September 2009 RV Maria S. Merian, which is managed by Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG, left Germany and is only expected to return to a german port in July 2010.
Our picture shows the following persons (starting on the left side): Capt. Klaus Küper (Department Head Briese Research Department), Prof. Jan-H. Olbertz (Minister of Cultural Affairs Saxony-Anhalt), Capt. Klaus Bergmann (Master RV ‚Maria S. Merian’), Mr. Henry Tesch, Dr. Friedrich Rothenpieler (Principal Bavarian State Ministry of Sciences, Research and the Arts), Prof. Matthias Kleiner (President of the German Research Foundation, Bonn).
In case of any further questions please contact:
Sabine Kruse, Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG
Research Department, e-Mail: Sabine.Kruse@briese.d
