The Orange County Sanitation District of Orange County in Southern California has placed an order for a new catamaran vessel that will support ocean sampling and scientific research activities.
The vessel will be built to a design by New Zealand-based naval architecture firm Teknicraft Design. It will be powered by a hybrid propulsion system consisting of Cummins QSB6.7 engines, permanent magnet motors, and a BorgWarner 588kW energy storage system.
The catamaran will be operated off the coast of Southern California, where it will perform duties such as environmental monitoring, marine research, and ocean sampling. Equipment will include a Teledyne acoustic Doppler current profiler, an Okeanus dual-drum winch, and a custom-built A-frame.
Onboard facilities will include a wet laboratory and liveaboard accommodation for up to 10 scientists.
The vessel will be built to comply with US Coast Guard Subchapter T standards as well as zero-emission standards being enforced throughout the state of California.