The main focus of MARCOS cruise was the documentation of deep water coral sites in the Strait of Sicily. In particular, the main target was to further image and sample the recently discovered deep water coral provinces south of Malta and around volcanic banks and island in the Strait of Sicily explored by ROV during a previous cruise. During MARCOS these coral sites were mapped in detail, CTD data acquired and numerous bottom samples recovered for on-going interdisciplinary analysis on the deep-sea coral reefs. Seabed sampling was the core of MARCOS cruise. In addition, new swath-bathymetric and geophysical data were also acquired during the cruise from the Gela Basin. Two recoveries and deployement of moorings were carried out to study the interaction between bottom currents and seafloor in the Gela Basin.