The ATL2MED mission - experiences and lessons learnt

The ATL2MED mission was a joint effort between a group of European institutions/projects and the US company Saildrone, where two Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASV) from Saildrone sailed from Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Trieste in the Mediterranean Sea. The ATL2MED mission represented the first monitoring experiments of such ASVs both in the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic (ETNA) and into the Mediterranean Sea. The mission lasted nine months covering all seasons with varying meteorological and oceanic conditions, ocean productivity, and maritime traffic. This report is an overview of experiences and lessons learnt, in order to provide guidance and support for similar missions in the future.