As part of a large Higher Education Authority (HEA) funded PTRLI cycle 3 marine program carried out at the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), this cruise was part of a multi-disciplinary survey of the deep waters west and north of Porcupine Bank in the North East Atlantic Ocean carried out in October 2003 and led by NUIG. Hydrographic measurements (including mooring and float deployment), deep water microbial and benthic sediment sampling (cores and photography) were carried out. Standard oceanographic research data collection to ascertain the condition of the ocean.