A ferry bound for Spain helped researchers from Southampton shed light on the growth of harmful ocean-going organisms.

A team from the National Oceanography Centre fitted a specially-equipped “Ferrybox” to the Pride of Bilbao while it travelled between Portsmouth and Bilbao.

The box allowed them to take measurements of the water which gave them a valuable insight into the factors which cause harmful algal blooms to grow in the English Channel.

The algae can be lethal for fish, and the study could help to predict future blooms and provide vital information for the fishing industries and others affected by the blooms.