A new methanol-fuelled research ship was recently christened by a German scientific institute. Construction is meanwhile underway on a training vessel for a Japanese maritime school, an oceanographic ship for the NOAA, and a catamaran workboat for an American university.
German research institute christens methanol-fuelled ship
Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) christened its newest research vessel in a ceremony on Tuesday, November 1.
Named after an island in Nordfriesland district, the 35-metre Uthorn was built by local shipyard Fassmer. One of its notable features is its methanol propulsion system, which will ensure reduced CO2 emissions when operating in the North Sea.
The vessel's research equipment includes trawls, water samplers, and a fish-finding, multi-beam echosounder.
Japanese maritime college's newest training vessel hits the water
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has launched a new large training vessel ordered by Japanese owner Oshima National College of Maritime Technology.
The 56-metre Oshima Maru is the second training vessel to be built by Mitsubishi for the same customer. In addition to providing practical training in ocean navigation, the ship will also be equipped for conducting operational and marine surveys.
Other facilities will include a medical bay and a multipurpose toilet. The propulsion system will meanwhile consist of generators and lithium-ion batteries that will be operated in parallel for more efficient sailings.
Delivery is scheduled for March 2023.
Keel laid for new NOAA oceanographic ship
Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors (TMC) of Houma, Louisiana has laid the keel of Discoverer, an oceanographic research vessel ordered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The 244-foot (74-metre) long vessel will be powered by diesel engines and will have facilities for oceanographic research and exploration and for the study of marine life and ocean ecosystems. Accommodations will be available for 28 scientists and a standard crew of 20.
Discoverer will be homeported in Newport, Rhode Island following its delivery in 2026.
University of Hawai'i at Manoa orders research catamaran
The University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa (UH Manoa) and the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation (UHF) have placed an order for a new research vessel to be built by a shipyard in Washington State.
The 68.5-foot (20.8-metre) semi-displacement catamaran, the construction of which has already commenced, utilises a design developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand.
The custom-built vessel is being constructed to US Coast Guard standards for service in waters where the range to the refuge is 150 nautical miles or less. Space will be available for 12 crewmembers.
