A new research vessel ordered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was recently floated out at a shipyard in Bellingham, Washington.
Designed by New Zealand-based Teknicraft, the 50-foot (15-metre) semi-displacement catamaran will be operated by the NOAA at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in Washington State.
The vessel will have two Cummins QSC8.3 engines and space for up to 18 personnel. It will be used for a variety of research missions and other duties such as seafloor mapping, habitat characterisation, data collection, and the monitoring of the health of ocean species and marine wildlife.