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Jahresbericht Ir. 19/1964 
the section "Physical Oceanography" centred on the completion, acceptance, 
and test of the fundamental equipment with scientific instruments; on the 
fitting-out for the International Indian Ocean Expedition, and on the 
organization of supply and spare parts. The proton magnetometer and the 
sea-gravimeter plus gyro-stabilized platform were thoroughly tested for 
their correct functioning by the department "Geophysics and Astronomy", 
The deck loudspeakers, the gyro-compass, the sonar devices, the gyro- 
stabilized precision deep-sea recorder in particular, the great number of 
radio stations and direction finders, the different broadcasting in 
stallations, command transmitting and signalling systems were supervised 
by the department "lautical Engineering". The "General Department" had to 
engage a great number of qualified specialists in order to man RV "Meteor" 
appropriately. The "Technical Workshop" gave its best for the instrumental 
equipment of "Meteor". A scientific library was assorted for the vessel and 
the publication "Forschungsschiff Meteor" (research vessel "Meteor") issued 
as supplementary number to the German Hydrographic Journal. Meanwhile the 
preparations for managing and supplying the ship during her first great 
cruise were going on. 
RV "Meteor" performed the total number of 7 trial cruises into the 
North and Baltic Seas as well as into the Bay of Biscay which, among others, 
also served the purpose of making the crew accustomed by day and night to 
the normal service during the expedition. The press, the different broad 
casting systems, and television took a keen interest in the research vessel. 
Thus the Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (Second German Television Corporation) 
shot a film of half an hour's duration which was presented on October 30, 
immediately after the departure of the vessel for her first expedition. 
On the commissioning of "Meteor" the "Seewart-Medaille" was originated 
by the Federal Ministry of Transport. It is conferred on persons for long 
and voluntary co-operation and for special merits in matters concerning 
the GHI and the safety of navigation. In the year under review 7 masters 
of merchant shipping were awarded this medal. 
As a result of the International Convention on the Continental Shelf, 
the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, according to the "Gesetz 
zur vorläufigen Regelung der Rechte am Festlandsockel" (an act provisionally 
regulating the rights over the Continental Shelf), have assigned certain 
functions to the GHI: the GHI and the Oberbergamt Clausthal-Zellerfeld (a 
board of mines) grant licences for exploring and exploiting the natural 
resources of the continental shelf as well as for all research activities 
planned to be carried out thereon. Such licences have already be granted. 
The positions of drilling operations in the North Sea are given in Fig.p.8.