ACADEMICS at the newly named National Oceanography Centre in Southampton yesterday saw the royal research ship Charles Darwin leave Southampton for Bermuda on a research cruise across the Atlantic.

The 45-day cruise is the first to be carried out under the new name of the centre.

The scientists, led by Dr Elaine McDonagh, will be taking measurements of the Atlantic Ocean. Dr McDonagh said: "The data collected on this expedition will tell us how the ocean has changed over the last two decades."