The depositional and morphologic complexity of the South Adriatic Margin reflects the activity of bottom currents leading to areas of increased accumulation and focused erosion. The activity of bottom currents in turn may favour slope instability by controlling the generation of potential weak layers or undermining slope sectors through erosion processes. On the other hand, bottom currents impinge the sea floor in areas affected by failure controlling or preventing the deposition of younger deposits above the failed masses, directly affecting the deep sea ecosystems. The scope of the oceanographic cruise SASSI08 was defining the path of dense water (NAdDW) across the outer shelf of the South Adriatic, and defining the impact of bottom-hugging waters across the lower slope and basin floor with particular reference to areas of morphological confinement of the flows. In addition, the sampling cruise has contributed to improve our definition of the variability of slope ecosystems along this margin. Both sedimentological features and seafloor ecosystems are strongly influenced by the impact of shelf dense waters cascading across the area.