The Alfred Merlin French research vessel is currently at sea. It is a highly sophisticated boat designed for the French Ministry of Culture and especially for underwater archaeology missions. Its equipment includes underwater civil drones for research. Unveiled on May 2021, its special composite reduces the boat’s environmental impact, reduces its greenhouse gas emissions, and limits its underwater vibration and noise propagation.

On Aug. 24, the Alfred Merlin departed from Trapani in Italy to the northern edge of the Skerki Bank on the Italian marine continental shelf. On board are a dozen marine archaeologists from several Mediterranean countries, including Alison Faynot who coordinates this mission on behalf of UNESCO. Algerian Nazim Bensalah, Egyptian Emad Khalil, Moroccan Azzedine Kara and Tunisian Wafa Ben Slimane are some of the other underwater archaeologists onboard.

Two days before sailing, UNESCO Chief Audrey Azoulay tweeted, "An underwater mission coordinated by UNESCO about to depart, in search of archaeological treasures off the Tunisian Italian coast." Her office told Al-Monitor that Azoulay and the ambassadors of the respective Mediterranean basin countries were all very excited over this pioneering project.

Speaking on the phone from the boat, Faynot explained that the mission at hand is unique. It is the first time that eight countries come together to preserve what they consider a common undersea cultural heritage. The Alfred Merlin is expected to stay in the Italian continental shelf zone one more day. Then it will continue to the Tunisian continental shelf not far away for another week of exploration.