Oceanographic Research Vessel Sharing Plan—A Significant Creation of the National Natural Science Foundation of China

To settle the difficulties of the shortage of oceanographic research vessels in our country, the National Natural Science Foundation Committee of China founded Oceanographic Research Vessel Sharing Plan in 2009. It is aimed at enhancing efficiency and optimization of the vessel resources,and coordinating the use demands of vessels for the different foundation projects and the efficient use of the research vessels. We have summarized the achievements made in the Plan from 2010 to 2014, as well as the use system of the research vessels sharing, the specific operating mode ,the organization and the management framework of the Plan. In the end, we put forward our suggestions on the improvement of the Plan after the primary analysis of the present situation of the sharing of the survey data and the existing problems.