In Spring 2007, OGS has acquired an SLOCUM glider (electric coastal model) from Webb Research Coorporation. This glider was name TRIESTE-1 after the famous bathyscaphe Trieste designed by August Piccard in the 1950's. This autonomous under water vehicle measures water mass propreties in a sawtooth fashion in the water column above 200 m depth along a prescribed transect. More specifically, the TRIESTE-1 glider measures temperature, salinity, oxygen, turbidity and chlorophyll fluorescence.

It is planned to use the TRIESTE-1 glider in various projects in the Mediterranean Sea, to support both scientific research and operational oceanography, in collaboration with Italian and international institutes.