new zealand research vessel

Kaharoa II: The world-class marine research vessel setting a new benchmark

NIWA owns and operates New Zealand’s only purposebuilt, open-ocean, fisheries and oceanographic research vessels – Kaharoa and Tangaroa. Both are heavily utilised and deliver essential research and management services for our maritime nation and globally. Kaharoa is coming to the end of an extraordinary life of science over the past 43 years, including an average of 130 days per year at sea carrying out fisheries research. It is affectionately known within NIWA as ‘The Little Ship That Can’. Kaharoa II substantially advances these capabilities, opening the door to a vast array of new applications and horizons. The new vessel is due to arrive in Wellington in August.

Sitting at just under 500 tonnes, Kaharoa II provides a highly sophisticated platform at an affordable rate. Some 200 tonnes heavier and eight metres longer than its predecessor, this multi-purpose vessel has increased deck and laboratory space, is equipped to support both current and future technologies and can accommodate more science and technical personnel.

Kaharoa II is a significant component of NIWA’s capital investment plan, and a key tool for New Zealand’s science needs. NIWA’s Deputy Chief Executive Dr Rob Murdoch says we need the right equipment as well as the right expertise to deliver the science the nation needs.

“The current vessel has served New Zealand’s marine science needs for over 40 years, but replacement was the only feasible option to meet future demands. Maintaining a national science research vessel capability is essential to build resilience and adapt to climate change, to realise and sustainably manage marine resources, and to maintain the health of our marine environment.

“Ongoing access to such a marine research vessel is essential to deliver national priorities and support our Pacific neighbours. Kaharoa II is the result of six years of planning, from stakeholder engagement to detailed design, construction and launch. We needed a state-ofthe- art research platform with similar operating costs, but enhanced capabilities, to the current vessel. The new vessel meets those exacting requirements,” Murdoch says.

“Constantly evolving capability in the marine realm is vital to ensure that NIWA’s research fleet continues to provide world-class fisheries and oceanographic science and deliver an excellent platform for charter opportunities.”

Designed by leading naval architecture firm Skipsteknisk, which also designed Tangaroa, the vessel sets a new benchmark for vessels of its size.

“It’s been a complex project, creating a multipurpose vessel that is under 500 tonnes and still meets, and in many cases exceeds, the current demands of fisheries, oceanography and a variety of maritime commercial operations,” says Manager – Marine Resources, Rob Christie, who’s been directing the project.

“You can’t just order a research vessel, ready for use. Imagine designing and building a new model of car from scratch – that’s effectively what we have done with this vessel, with the added complexity of extended endurance for 15 people, as well as additional winches, cranes, an A-frame and advanced electronic sensors and systems.

Scientific equipment has become larger and more sophisticated over the last decade. This demands more space, longer deployment cables and bigger winches, increased electrical power, and high-precision station keeping for equipment deployment and operation.

“NIWA required all the capability of a larger research vessel, packed into 36.1 metres. It’s a delicate balance between buoyancy, weight and space. The vessel will offer an affordable in-country solution to commercial entities requiring offshore marine services.

“The world is looking on with interest at this build, in how small you can go whilst keeping a high level of scientific functionality. In a world striving for energy efficiency, many other countries will see the benefit of a small research platform that can maintain and, in some areas, increase capability.”

Managing the build Kaharoa II was built by the Spanish shipbuilders Astilleros Armon, in Vigo, northern Spain, and was delivered on time, on budget and to specification. NIWA had two full time, highly experienced building supervisors working in Vigo for more than a year. NIWA Ship Technical Director Greg Foothead was one of them, and he oversaw the build.

“Being involved in the construction of a new research vessel is a once-in-a-career opportunity. It was fantastic to work with the teams in Spain. They pride themselves on their work and they have built us the ‘Swiss Army Knife of ships’. Seeing an idea come to life from a piece of paper was almost surreal. When we brought the crew over to take the vessel home, I think they were a bit taken aback at how much bigger it felt.

“The minute I saw the captain behind the wheel for the first time, with a massive grin, that was a highlight for me.” Once the final fit-out and sea trials were complete, NIWA took the keys and started the long journey home in April.

“So far, the vessel has exceeded our expectations of how it would perform on the journey, and the crew have been blown away by the technology and comfort ,” Foothead says.

“It feels a lot bigger than its length, and has good seakeeping, with stability tanks to help soften the vessel motion. There is a lot to learn on the new vessel, including the impressive advances in technology, but we have excellent people who are up to the task

“And it’s not just their workplace, it’s their home. Living onboard for 30-day stints is hard, so getting the living areasright is important for crew and scientists alike. The quality of accommodation will impress everyone,” says Foothead.

Putting the vessel through its paces Fisheries research will be a major part of the workload for Kaharoa II, and it has been designed accordingly. Constructed to an international maritime classification of Silent DNV Acoustic and Fisheries Class, the vessel operates with low levels of radiated noise to maximise its acoustic system capabilities. Those acoustic capabilities have been significantly increased, with a five-channel Kongsberg echosounder, whereas Kaharoa had only one sounder. The vessel has a 10-tonne A-frame supported by a 6-tonne deck crane, an 85 square metre working deck and a larger wetlab, with an additional fish measuring station.

Upon its arrival in New Zealand, Kaharoa II will go straight to work using a new towed video array to collect underwater imagery on seafloor biodiversity, habitats and fish in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, as part of a Fisheries New Zealand project. However, it will not take over full operations from the original Kaharoa until 2025. Kaharoa and Kaharoa II will begin a series of joint voyages, operating together for two months to intercalibrate fisheries survey methods. This work is vital to ensure continuity of the valuable time-series built up by Kaharoa over the past four decades – crucial to New Zealand’s marine resource management.

Chief Scientist – Fisheries Dr Richard O’Driscoll says Kaharoa II is a significant component of NIWA’s commitment to the next 40 years of fisheries research in New Zealand.

“We will use Kaharoa II to continue monitoring the abundance and distribution of New Zealand inshore fish – building on time-series data from Kaharoa around the North and South Islands. These surveys monitor a range of important species, like snapper and tarakihi, as well as spawning hoki and scampi. The vessel will continue our Fisheries New Zealand research and provide opportunity via increased capability to trial improvements.

One highlight for us is the multi-frequency fisheries and bathymetric acoustic sounder suite that is permanently onboard. “Having been onboard the vessel at the shipyard in Spain, it is great to see all the years of planning turning into reality. I’m super excited to see the vessel arrive in New Zealand and really look forward to getting onboard to start counting and measuring fish.”

Fisheries New Zealand’s Director Science & Information, Simon Lawrence says Fisheries New Zealand, and its predecessors, have worked with NIWA for many years to undertake fisheries research projects.

“NIWA’s research vessels provide a world-class platform to deliver critical science inputs into our fisheries science and management processes. Over the years there have been countless voyages by NIWA scientists on Kaharoa, and the much larger Tangaroa, all of which have contributed to our stock assessments and broader understanding of marine ecosystems. We look forward to the new Kaharoa II being deployed in our waters and continuing the important work that NIWA does to support our understanding of the marine environment,” says Lawrence.

Expanding operations across oceans Kaharoa has a long history of working across the seas of the Southern Hemisphere, operating throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans, from Cape Town to Santiago. These operations include the Argo programme, a global ocean monitoring initiative involving more than 30 countries, and Seabed 2030, an international effort to map the world’s ocean floor. Since 2001, Kaharoa has deployed more than 2,220 Argo floats. About one-third of the world’s active Argo floats have been deployed from Kaharoa – far more than from any other research vessel worldwide. On its maiden voyage to New Zealand, Kaharoa II continued that legacy, deploying 64 floats across the Atlantic Ocean, and it is scheduled to deploy a further 88 in the Pacific Ocean.

This highly sophisticated, significantly enhanced and cost-effective research platform is set to transform New Zealand’s marine research capabilities. It has the capacity, for example, to assist in the deployment and maintenance of the New Zealand tsunami monitoring and detection network. It can also load and offload in places with limited port facilities – such as some of our Pacific Island neighbours.

With its 30-day, 6,500-nautical mile range, Kaharoa II is destined to become a familiar sight around New Zealand and much further afield.

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New research vessel to help with better results.

The Kaharoa II control room. Photo: NIWA

Evironment and ocean research work in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands will be boosted with a new multi-million dollar vessel.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, or NIWA, has taken delivery of the brand-new research vessel, Kaharoa II .

The state-of-the-art €16 million vessel will be used to expand research work in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

NIWA says the vessel is equipped with the latest technology and equipment that would help in getting better research results.

The vessel spent 83 days sailing from Astilleros Armon shipyard in northern Spain, where it was built.

Kaharoa II replaces its predecessor Kaharoa, which is more than 40 years old and nearing the end of its working life with NIWA.

It was immediately put to work on its maiden voyage, deploying Argo ocean temperature and salinity monitoring floats across the Atlantic and the western Pacific as it sailed down to New Zealand.

NIWA chief executive John Morgan said Kaharoa II will help meet New Zealand's and the Pacific Islands' fisheries, oceanography, and maritime research needs.

"As an island nation, we have a strong cultural, environmental, and economic connection to the ocean, with NIWA's work playing a key role in our understanding and management of it," he said.

"This new vessel represents a significant investment in essential New Zealand science capability and underpins our strengths in ocean science. It will support cost-effective, safe, and more environmentally friendly research of the highest quality."

Kaharoa II Wellington arrival Photo: Caroline Beamish / NIWA

NIWA chief scientist (fisheries) Dr Richard O'Driscoll said the vessel and technology it has will transform NIWA's work.

" Kaharoa II is a next generation research vessel that will allow us to do more great science," he said.

"It also has 35 days' endurance, with a 6500 nautical mile range, meaning we will be able to go further for longer, from inshore studies to the deep oceans."

Kaharoa II was designed by the Norwegian naval architects Skipsteknisk, who specialise in research and fisheries vessels.

NIWA manager marine resources, and director of the project Rob Christie said the team in Spain were extremely professional and worked hard to satisfy NIWA's exacting standards.

"Overseeing the construction of a new research vessel is a rare privilege," he said.

"The trick is to have an extensive support network, a knowledgeable team, and governance who understand the complexity, risks, and end goal. We had all three."

Christie said Kaharoa II has been equipped with the latest technologies, and is quieter under the water, causing less disturbance to the environment.

It is eight metres longer and more comfortable than its predecessor, with increased laboratory and deck space that can accommodate six crew members and up to nine scientists.

Kaharoa II will deploy and maintain the New Zealand Tsunami detection network, maintain long-term fisheries surveys in country and in the Pacific region, and continue NIWA's critical contribution to the international Argo programme, which deploys floats throughout the world's oceans to measure water conditions for marine and atmospheric research.

NIWA said the old Kaharoa has deployed about one-quarter of all the Argo floats globally - far more than any other vessel, and Kaharoa II will continue this legacy.

The vessel will be involved in the collection of underwater imagery of the seafloor biodiversity, habitats and fish in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park later this month.

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Te Kaihōpara research vessel

Take a look at the photos from the launch of Te Kaihōpara at the New Zealand Maritime Museum in Auckland.

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Te Kaihōpara research vessel launch

We still have so much to learn about how we can live better with our marine ecosystems. Our new research vessel, Te Kaihōpara (The Explorer) will be a vital step in supporting this exploration.

She will continue research started from our previous research vessel, Hawere. Te Kaihōpara will also have more capacity to sample the seafloor, deploy increasingly sophisticated equipment and analytical instruments, and carry more students and passengers for training and to experience our marine environment.

Te Kaihōpara’s name was generously gifted to us by Mook Hohneck – Chair of the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust. Te Kaihōpara will spend much of her life working in Ngāti Manuhiri’s rohe moana.

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Research Vessel Tangaroa

• Review of scientific collections and databases

This page sets out the details of our contract with NIWA for the Research Vessel Tangaroa.

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"The Research Vessel Tangaroa provides essential support for a wide variety of research about New Zealand’s marine environment, and that of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. This contract facilitates the use of this national asset by providing no fewer than 160 days of voyage time per year for four years (up to 20 June 2020) under a new Crown Funding Agreement (CFA). The CFA supports access by New Zealand-based research organisations to RV Tangaroa as a national platform to undertake marine research. The contract also provides for additional, dedicated Antarctic voyages every second year. It is expected that all voyages facilitated through this contract will be aligned with New Zealand’s research strategies and priorities."

The RV Tangaroa is operated by NIWA.

More information

Learn more about RV Tangaroa (external link)

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https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/science-and-innovation/funding-information-and-opportunities/investment-funds/strategic-science-investment-fund/funded-infrastructure/research-vessel-tangaroa Please note: This content will change over time and can go out of date.

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VESSEL REVIEW | Shearwater – Advanced 22-metre catamaran research vessel for North Carolina

The Duke University Marine Laboratory (DUML) in North Carolina has taken delivery of its latest acquisition, the 72-foot (22-metre) hydrofoil-assisted catamaran Shearwater , designed by New Zealand's Teknicraft Design.

When the former research vessel, the Susan Hudson , was retired in 2014, the DUML identified a new, more advanced vessel as vital to the operations of a world-class marine research laboratory, and determined it a strategic priority.

The goal was to design a research vessel that would enhance the education and research activities of the DUML, strengthen community outreach, and support collaborations in academia and the ocean science research community.

The new vessel was based upon two successful Teknicraft Design vessels built for NOAA in the US. Teknicraft's hydrofoil-assisted hull features its sickle bow design, providing effective seakeeping and fuel economy.

The aluminium research vessel will operate primarily from Chesapeake Bay to the Florida Keys and out to 200 nautical miles offshore to the continental shelf. Occasional trips will also be taken to the Bahamas.

Shearwater will be deployed on oceanographic research missions but will also provide educational outreach classes for students from Duke University. This will include live-aboard education and research during transit from Beaufort to Abaco.

The vessel is powered by twin Tier 3 Caterpillar C18 ACERT engines, rated at 800 horsepower (599 kW) at 2,100 rpm. The vessel has a cruising speed of 24 knots at 85 per cent rated power. Driven by twin fixed pitch propellers, Shearwater can accommodate up to 30 passengers on day trips, and has liveaboard accommodations for 14 people.

With a range of 450 nautical miles at 24 knots cruising speed, and up to 1,200 nautical miles at 10 knots, extended voyages can be undertaken without the need to return to shore. The vessel is equipped with two large Hawboldt scientific winches and an A-frame for the deployment and recovery of instrumentation the large array of scientific instruments and sampling equipment.

Also installed is a four-extension knuckle crane for loading and discharging the vessel, as well as a moon pool with vertically articulating transducer strut. Wet and dry labs are housed aboard, as well as a 16-foot (4.9-metre) auxiliary boat.

Steering and engine controls are located on the main bridge, the fly-bridge (forward upper deck), and the aft upper deck, co-located with scientific winch controls.

The vessel will allow marine scientists from DUML and other institutions to conduct research along the Atlantic seaboard in a wide range of fields including marine ecology and conservation, biological oceanography, and renewable energy ocean development. Activities aboard the research vessel will range from observations, measurements, sample collection to instrument deployment and recovery, and use of auxiliary equipment.

The DUML is a year-round teaching and research campus located on Pivers Island in Beaufort, North Carolina. It offers academic programs at the doctoral, masters and undergraduate levels, and is home to the Nicholas School of the Environment Marine Science and Conservation programs.

The vessel was procured as part of an $11 million gift for the construction and operation of a new state-of-the-art research vessel that will expand teaching, research and outreach capabilities at the DUML. The DUML has been without a large research vessel since two of its boats were retired. The 135-foot (41-metre) Cape Hatteras retired in 2012 and the 50-foot (15-metre) Susan Hudson retired in 2014.

According to the university, having a local research vessel with the ability to travel several hundred nautical miles from shore and spend multiple days at sea is crucial to coastal research efforts in North Carolina. Over the past few years, this need has been met by researchers either chartering private boats or paying for the transit of research vessels from other states.

"With a high cruising speed of 24 knots, Shearwater can reach a fairly extensive region in very little time," noted Matthew Dawson, the vessel's captain. "This allows research and education parties to access distant areas without paying extra day rates and staff time just to transit."

In addition to the university's programs, the vessel will also be used to support science outreach programs for local K-12 teachers, students, and community members. Researchers and instructors from other institutions will also be able to charter the vessel for scientific or educational purposes.

In the next few months the Shearwater will make the trek from the West Coast of the United States through the Panama Canal to the East Coast, stopping in Florida.

In January, Zackary Johnson, Associate Professor of Molecular Biology in Marine Science, will take the first group of students out for a 10-day experiential Biological Oceanography class. Ports of call for this class include Key West, Dry Tortugas National Park, Fort Myers, the Everglades and Miami.

A dedication of the Shearwater will also take place in Florida in late January. By early spring 2020, she will make her way to Beaufort and its new home at the DUML.

See all the other content from this month's Naval Architecture Week right here, including reviews, features, opinions and news.

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Home » RV Odyssey

Formerly known as “Alucia”

Meet rv odyssey.

RV Odyssey is a 183 ft Ice-Class Oceanographic Vessel, that can accommodate up to 55 people, including 22 crew and 7 for submersible and helo operations.

It is equipped with a helipad and a 21-ton A-Frame used to launch its two 3-person submersibles.

ft Ice-Class Oceanographic Vessel.

people can be on the vessel.

Research Vessel Odyssey

Research Vessel Odyssey, combines state of the art oceanographic, exploration, scientific and filmmaking capabilities with five-star accommodation and comfort.

It supports state-of-the-art 3-person submersibles that descend to thousands of feet, along with remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and has a certified helideck (EC135 and A109) with refueling capabilities.

Odyssey is also equipped with world-class oceanographic equipment including a Sonar Multibeam system, wet labs, dry labs, on-board medical facility, hyperbaric chamber, a sophisticated Mission-Control center, as well as a broadcast-quality studio.

from Ifremer to OceanX

An iconic pedigree.

From the time it was initially launched as Nadir on behalf of the French government’s Ifremer organization, to the extraordinary missions that OceanX ran over the last decade, the vessel has been at the forefront of conservation and exploration.

• The vessel launched French submersible Nautile on hundreds of sub dives including the first dives on Titanic in 1987 • WHOI conducted the successful search for the wreckage and black boxes of Air France flight 447 off the coast of Brazil in 2011 • OceanX ran the first expedition to film giant squid in the wild for NHK Japan and Discovery Channel in 2012 • OceanX provided the vessel for the filming of David Attenborough’s Emmy Award winning series “Great Barrier Reef” in 2015 • OceanX supported filming for BBC’s Blue Planet II, including a record deep dive in the Antarctic

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New Zealand is seeking industry info to build Antarctic patrol vessel

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The New Zealand Defence Force has issued a request for information on design and build solutions for an eventual ice-strengthened offshore patrol vessel that the Royal New Zealand Navy would operate in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic’s Ross Sea for at least four months per year.

Independent defense consultant Gordon Crane told Defense News that several ship-building companies are likely to respond to the RFI, including Dutch company Damen and Fincantieri subsidiary Vard Group. Though its parent company is Italian, Vard has its headquarters in Norway.

“Both have supplied similar ships to western navies for Arctic and Antarctic duties. The former recently delivered a 526-foot [160-meter] icebreaker to Australia, and the latter company has supplied ships for Arctic duties to the coast guard[s] and navies of the U.K., U.S. and Canada and in the Southern Hemisphere to Chile and South Africa, plus the RNZN’s existing offshore patrol vessels,” Crane said.

“Their expertise in providing ships capable of operating in polar regions gives them a distinct advantage,” Crane added.

The RFI anticipates the ship will be 295-377 feet in length, with accommodations for 100 people, including 60 crew members, 30 scientific staff and a military helicopter flight crew of 10. The RFI cautions that the ship will traverse “one of the roughest seas in the world.” Waves in the region regularly exceed 33 feet and some are more than 66 feet high.

To be capable of at least 16 knots, the vessel, equipped with a hangar, is required to travel 12,000 nautical miles at an average speed of 14 knots without having to refuel.

Roles will include research, search and rescue, maritime interdiction, and maritime resupply to the Auckland Islands and other sub-Antarctic islands.

The closing date for submissions is June 14, 2021, and enquiries can be directed to [email protected].

Nick Lee-Frampton is the New Zealand correspondent for Defense News.

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Research Vessel Resilience Charts Course to the Future of Marine Research

Dedication of the new hybrid-electric vessel was celebrated by laboratory, state, tribal and federal officials 

RV Resilience, the Department of Energy’s new hybrid electric marine research vessel. 

(Photo by Eric Francavilla | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

SEQUIM, Wash.—Officials gathered at the Sequim campus of the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory today to dedicate DOE’s first hybrid-electric research vessel, RV Resilience.

The event marks the start of a new era of marine energy research at  PNNL-Sequim , part of DOE’s Office of Science national laboratory system and Resilience’s new home port. Speakers at the dedication included U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, Washington State Rep. Steve Tharinger and representatives from DOE and PNNL.

“DOE is focused on clean energy solutions. The RV Resilience enables us to accelerate the development and deployment of novel marine energy technologies from testing at the bench scale to early demonstration under real ocean operating conditions,” said Geri Richmond, DOE’s undersecretary for science and innovation. “Demand for these technologies is likely to increase in the coming years, unlocking opportunities for ocean science and maritime industries equipped to explore new applications for marine energy research that will help power the blue economy.”

Richmond’s chief of staff, Ariel Marshall, spoke on her behalf at the dedication ceremony.

The 50-foot research vessel will allow researchers to transport and install large equipment in Sequim Bay, such as demonstration-scale marine energy devices. These devices will help accelerate marine energy testing and support new partnerships with industry developers. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, the hybrid-electric vessel is nearly silent when operated in fully electric mode. This minimizes noise pollution for marine wildlife and enables more sensitive acoustic measurements during research operations. 

“RV Resilience represents DOE’s and PNNL’s commitment to demonstrating how innovative approaches, like the design and construction of this unique hybrid vessel, can advance the nation’s quest for clean energy,” said Laboratory Director Steve Ashby.

The RV Resilience can operate on diesel engines or in a completely electric mode using onboard battery banks. These batteries can be charged with the diesel engines, at any marina or through a rapid charging station at the PNNL-Sequim dock.

The RV Resilience was made possible with support from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and its Water Power Technologies Office. It will be managed and operated by researchers at PNNL-Sequim—a regional hub for marine energy research, development and testing—and enables research operations in nearby Sequim Bay. 

“We’re exploring the potential of marine energy by conducting world-leading coastal and oceanographic science and research,” said Alejandro Moreno, associate principal deputy assistant secretary for EERE. “This new hybrid research vessel enables that work with fewer emissions and less impact on the ocean’s wildlife."

The RV Resilience is the latest in a series of investments that will grow PNNL’s capabilities in marine technology research to continue advancing renewable energy, climate resilience and national security. These planned investments include a pre-permitted marine testing site, an underwater cabled array connecting at-sea devices to shore facilities and an onshore microgrid and battery storage system. 

Combined with the RV Resilience and a host of new onshore laboratory facilities, these capabilities will enable PNNL-Sequim to support DOE’s marine energy mission, including supporting the development of offshore wind and tidal energy, as well as marine carbon dioxide removal. 

RV Resilience was built by Snow & Company in Seattle, Wash.  To learn more about vessel specifications, visit PNNL’s website . 

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry , Earth sciences , biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in sustainable energy and national security . Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://www.energy.gov/science/ . For more information on PNNL, visit PNNL's News Center . Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , LinkedIn and Instagram .

Published: September 5, 2024

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A billionaire hopes to change our understanding of sea life and save the oceans with a research vessel straight out of 'Star Trek'

OceanXplorer, a 285-foot research vessel , contains cutting-edge tools for ocean science.

Billionaire Ray Dalio bought the former oil ship and helped transform it into a world-leading research vessel.

Ray Dalio's son wants the ship to inspire ocean conservation through advanced research and documentaries.

The OceanXplorer is both science and spectacle.

The 285-foot research vessel gives ocean scientists access to virtual reality, submersibles , a helicopter, and onboard laboratories, all in a setting designed to evoke a Marvel movie.

"It has basically every tool a researcher could dream of for exploring the deep," Eric Stackpole, a remotely operated vehicle expert, told Business Insider.

Stackpole is part of a team that traveled on the ship from a volcanic archipelago in the North Atlantic to just south of the North Pole for National Geographic's new show "OceanXplorers."

See what it was like to follow polar bears from the sky and study sharks from the seafloor.

OceanX converted a former oil vessel into a research ship.

Billionaire Ray Dalio bought the boat in 2016 . It was an oil ship at the time and he and his son Mark Dalio spent the next four years transforming it into a one-of-a-kind research vessel capable of real-time scientific analysis. Experts from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution consulted to ensure scientists would have everything they needed on board.

For example, it might take a typical research vehicle several years to get DNA sequencing results back and then return to the same location equipped with that data.

With OceanXplorer's onboard lab, researchers can collect samples, process the data in real-time, and then make informed decisions based on what they find.

"We feel like it's a lot more efficient," said Mark Dalio, co-CEO of OceanX, the company that owns OceanXplorer.

It's helping scientists solve some of the sea's greatest mysteries.

The vessel's pair of three-seater submersibles can descend over 3,000 feet and stay on the seafloor for 12 hours.

As a passenger in one, biologist Nigel Hussey witnessed something he'd never seen before, a Greenland shark feeding in its own habitat.

The sharks can live for over 400 years, the longest of any vertebrate, but they spend much of their time in deep, difficult-to-access waters of the Arctic.

"To actually witness and see an animal that you've committed a huge amount of time, blood, sweat, and tears to studying, it's indescribable how fabulous it is," Hussey said in National Geographic's show.

Seeing the cautious way the shark approached food could indicate one reason the species lives so long , Hussey said. Some researchers want to learn more about these animals in the hopes of lengthening human lifespans.

It was built for many kinds of science.

On board, scientists can use the four labs to analyze samples, sequence DNA, and study specimens. Meanwhile, ROVs explore the deep ; sonar maps the seafloor ; and a sampling tool measures the water's temperature, pressure, and salinity.

"I think the most unique kind of throughline is the cross-disciplinary nature of the ship," Mark Dalio said. Meaning researchers who study sharks, whales, squid, and polar bears can all make use of the vessel .

OceanX not only helps scientists reach locations from the subtropical Bahamas to freezing Svalbard, it brings along filmmakers and photographers to document the work as it's taking place.

The National Geographic show highlights the work of researchers who used the ship's helicopters to study polar bears ' disappearing habitats and another group who dove deep in submersibles to study sperm whales' prey.

"Ultimately, our goal is to help raise awareness of what this majority of our planet is like," Stackpole said. "If you don't understand it, you can't affect it."

Some of the technology feels like living in the future.

OceanX partnered with Microsoft to create a "holographic laboratory" on the ship. The cutting-edge technology makes complex data easy to visualize.

Scientists wearing HoloLens headsets can view a simulated ocean floor. It can help turn numbers in a graph into a representation of an underwater environment, incorporating data from sperm whale location tags, sonar readings, and temperature and salinity information.

"We were able to stand around this table and in three dimensions, manipulate a map of what the bottom looks like," Stackpole said of an ocean-floor visualization. "It felt like living in the future."

There are some bonuses to being on a billionaire's boat.

The vessel was built for scientists, but it still has some amenities you might not typically find on a research ship.

"There was a drawer that was just filled with ice cream you could get whenever you want," Stackpole said. "That felt like an indulgence for an open ocean expedition."

It's not quite like going on a luxury cruise , though. There's room for about 72 people on board, but passengers have to share rooms with bunk beds.

The ship is supposed to look like something out of 'Star Trek.'

Mark Dalio worked as a National Geographic filmmaker in the past and always wanted the OceanXplorer to be used for scientific storytelling.

Director James Cameron and his team — who have experience designing the filmmaker's former research vessel — offered advice about creating spaces that were both functional and futuristic. Specifically, Cameron suggested they take inspiration from a " Star Trek " spacecraft.

"If you're going to do all that work, make it look and feel like something like the 'Starship Enterprise' of the oceans," Dalio said. "Make it inspirational and aspirational for the next generation of scientists and students and educators."

Art director Page Buckner, who worked on "Iron Man 2," "Jurassic World," and other movies, also helped make the ship camera-ready.

"Everything can be ready to go from a filmmaking standpoint" when scientists are seeing something new or exciting, Dalio said. "It allows us to be a lot more in the moment during that and really capture that in a way that is very authentic."

In fact, most of the ship was designed with documentaries in mind.

The next big project is a focus on fish.

Mark Dalio plans to keep the ship in Southeast Asian waters for the next five years. The Phillippines is a hot spot for a variety of marine life.

One goal is to learn more about the region's biodiversity to help find ways to protect vulnerable species.

Techniques like whole genome sequencing will give scientists a clearer picture of what fish are present and what animals are eating them.

Other research will focus on gathering data to document climate change, studying coral reefs , and finding potential areas for preservation that could be used for carbon credits.

All this feeds into OceanX's overarching goal, which is to foster the next generation of ocean scientists. "We need a next generation of ocean scientists and ocean storytellers," Dalio said.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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Marine scientific research

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (the Convention) establishes a comprehensive regime for the law of the sea. Under the Convention, every State has the right to conduct marine scientific research, subject to the rights and duties of the coastal State in whose jurisdiction the research is being conducted. Coastal States have the exclusive right to regulate, authorise and conduct MSR in their Territorial Sea. For MSR in their EEZ or Continental Shelf however, in normal circumstances, States shall grant their consent although certain conditions may be attached.

Applying for consent to undertake MSR in New Zealand's waters

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) on behalf of the New Zealand Government receives and manages MSR applications from New Zealanders seeking to undertake MSR in waters under the national jurisdiction of other States, and people from other countries seeking to undertake MSR in New Zealand’s Territorial Sea, EEZ and Continental Shelf.

Under the Convention all States or competent international organisations proposing to conduct MSR shall provide, at least six (6) months in advance of the expected starting date of research activities, a full description of the proposed research project to the relevant coastal State.

Application Form

• New Zealand Marine Scientific Research application form [DOCX 83 KB]

How to submit your application for consent to undertake MSR in New Zealand

Applications to undertake MSR in New Zealand’s Territorial Sea, EEZ and Continental shelf must be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Embassy of your country accredited to New Zealand.

Applications must be lodged a clear six (6) months in advance of the expected start date of the voyage.

Applications are assessed by MFAT in consultation with other relevant New Zealand Government departments and agencies. As part of this process, the application and any related material provided by the applicant is disclosed/provided to other relevant departments and agencies for the purpose of assessing the application and the determination of conditions to be imposed. During this consultation process, MFAT may request additional information from the applicant for the purposes of assessing the application.

Applications to undertake MSR in New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone or Continental Shelf

MSR is a permitted activity under New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012 (EEZ Act) provided that the conditions set out in the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects – Permitted Activities) Regulations 2013 are complied with.

The EEZ Act provides an exemption from its requirements for government owned and operated vessels that are undertaking MSR for “wholly government purposes”.

To find out more about the requirements set out in the Regulations and the actions to be taken, researchers are advised to refer to the Environmental Protection Authority's website (external link) . Information about the Act can be found on the Ministry for the Environment website (external link) .

Applications to undertake MSR in New Zealand's Territorial Sea

MSR in the Territorial Sea may only be conducted with the express consent of and under the conditions set forth by the coastal State (art. 245 of the Convention). Where foreign applicants seek to undertake MSR in New Zealand’s Territorial Sea, they will need to comply with any conditions required by Regional Councils in whose territory the MSR is proposed to take place.

Councils will assess the application against their Coastal and Operative Plans under the Resource Management Act 1991 and determine whether the application is authorised or declined, what conditions need to be complied with if the voyage is authorised and/or whether resource consent is required for the voyage to proceed. Councils may also advise that consultation with Iwi is required before the voyage can proceed.

Complying with New Zealand's Biosecurity Act 1993 and Regulations

There are legal requirements on vessels arriving in New Zealand’s waters under New Zealand’s Biosecurity Act. The biosecurity website of the Ministry for Primary Industries has further information on the requirements for a vessel prior to arrival (external link) .

From May 2018, all vessels must arrive in New Zealand with a "clean hull". Further information on hull requirements for vessels entering New Zealand (external link) can be found at on the Ministry for Primary Industries website.

Provision of MSR data, samples and results to New Zealand

The Convention places a duty on vessels conducting MSR to comply with certain conditions, in particular, requests from the coastal State in whose EEZ and/or continental shelf the research is being conducted. This includes complying with requests from the coastal State for preliminary reports and final results and conclusions of the research conducted, as well as providing the coastal State with access to all data and samples derived from the research, together with an assessment of such data, samples and research results (or assistance in such assessment).

Accordingly, copies of all voyage reports, data collected and reports prepared based on data and samples collected in areas under New Zealand’s jurisdiction as well as geological and biological samples, where they can be divided without detriment to their scientific value, are to be submitted to the New Zealand Government   [email protected] in an acceptable form, as soon as possible, and in any case within a 12 month period, after the conclusion of the voyage.

Information about arrangements for the submission of reports, data and samples (external link) , data formats and metadata is available from Land Information new Zealand (LINZ).

Where the New Zealand EEZ Act applies to the MSR voyage, additional reporting requirements will need to be complied with including provision of reports within 60 days of completion of the voyage to the Environmental Protection Authority.

Information about previous voyages

Information about previous voyages (external link) (reports, access to data etc.) is available from Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).

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Onaway company selected to build new Lake Michigan research vessel for DNR

ONAWAY — A new research vessel will be hitting Lake Michigan's waters in the coming years, and it's being built right here in Northern Michigan.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that Onaway's Moran Iron Works was selected to serve as the construction contractor for the new research vessel, which will be replacing the 56-year-old active survey vessel the Steelhead.

The new vessel, called the R/V Steelhead II, will offer advanced technology, improved crew safety, solar energy and more precise fisheries data.

“We at Moran Iron Works are proud to be a part of another turnkey vessel for the Great Lakes Region,” Victor Rupert, vice president of operations for Moran Iron Works, said in a press release. “Projects like the R/V Steelhead II fabricated for the Michigan DNR complement our niche and resources by utilizing our high-quality welders, highwire corridor and deep-water port in Rogers City, Michigan.”

The DNR awarded the bid to the company after a competitive bid process, with a goal of selecting an established, Michigan-based company to do the work, which will be conducted over the next year. The project was designed by Boksa Marine Design of Lithia, Florida, whose company president, Nick Boksa, is from Michigan.

According to the Moran Iron Works website , the group specializes in custom boats, vessels and barges. MIW offers in-house design, machinery, welding, testing, finishing and delivery.

Subscribe: Get unlimited access to our local coverage

R/V Steelhead II is expected to hit the waters by 2026 as a 66-foot, steel-hulled vessel. The ship will incorporate rooftop solar panels, reducing its carbon footprint, and will "be powered by two Environmental Protection Agency Tier III diesel engines that utilize high-efficiency emission control technology," according to the DNR.

The R/V Steelhead II will continue its predecessor's mission of surveying Lake Michigan to quantify the abundance of prey fish, while implementing modern scientific equipment.

The need for replacement stems from S/V Steelhead reaching the end of its safe life expectancy, with repairs costing more and parts becoming harder to find, the DNR said.

After the new vessel is delivered, S/V Steelhead will likely be sold at auction to recover funds for the DNR Fisheries Division.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/FishResearch .

— Contact reporter Karly Graham at [email protected].  Follow her on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN . 

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Moran Iron Works selected to build new DNR research vessel for Lake Michigan

Healthier, happier, fairer: new research shows major life benefits from decarbonising transport

Associate Professor in Public Health, University of Otago

Disclosure statement

Caroline Shaw received funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand for this work, which was also supported by the University of Otago.

University of Otago provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

University of Otago provides funding as a member of The Conversation NZ.

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With walking and cycling funding halved in the government’s recently released National Land Transport Programme , and a weaker transport emissions reduction plan, the potential health benefits of a low-carbon transport system have hit a real speed bump.

This is a pity, because one of the great promises of low-carbon transport is the health improvements that can accompany certain policy choices. Health is tangible, while decarbonisation policy is often complex and highly technical. People care deeply about health, both physical and mental.

However, we are now faced with climate and transport policy options that will have radically different implications for health.

To explore this, we looked at two distinct future transport pathways described by the Climate Change Commission. We found the choices New Zealand makes now will be crucial to improving people’s lives in the near future.

Transport and health

We already know transport systems cause a lot of disease and harm from air and noise pollution, physical inactivity and injury. Cancer, asthma, heart disease, premature birth, depression and dementia have all been linked to the effects of transport emissions.

It is hard to precisely quantify the health impacts of New Zealand’s current transport system. But we know it has a greater effect than tobacco , causes thousands of premature deaths each year and adds avoidable burdens to strained health services.

These impacts do not fall equally on different parts of the population. People with low incomes, for example, are more likely to die from road traffic injury. We also know those who drive the most (and have the most environmental impact) tend to experience the least adverse transport-related health outcomes.

Reducing transport emissions involves a series of choices about how we decarbonise. For example, we can emphasise vehicle electrification, change urban design, or pursue combinations of both.

To explore the health implications of this, our new research quantifies two possible transport pathways outlined in the Climate Change Commission’s 2021 advice to the government, Ināia tonu nei: a low emissions future for Aotearoa .

Behaviour and technology

Focusing on population health, health system costs, health inequity and transport greenhouse gas emissions, we modelled household travel under the two most distinct pathways out to 2050. We then compared these to the current transport system (as of 2018).

The two pathways – “further behaviour change” and “further technology change” – both rely on increasing public transport and reducing vehicle travel per person by 2050. The behaviour pathway achieves the most in those areas and includes a large increase in cycling.

Both pathways require a transition to electric cars, but the technology pathway gets to a 100% electric light fleet by 2050 compared to 89% in the behaviour pathway.

Compared to the 2018 transport system, we found both pathways would save lives, reduce health system costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the health gains were around two-and-half times greater in the behaviour pathway than the technology pathway (health savings were three times larger).

This was primarily because of the increased physical activity in this pathway. Lifecycle emissions reductions (for example, from the manufacture and destruction of a car, as well as driving it) were quite similar between the two pathways.

Similar impacts to tobacco reduction

We also modelled how the pathways would affect existing health inequities. We found the behaviour pathway could contribute to reducing healthy life expectancy differences between Māori and non-Māori.

This depended on how policies are implemented: the fairer the transport system, the better it is for health equity.

The potential health benefits of the behaviour pathway are of the same magnitude as those seen from tobacco market interventions such as a 10% tax increase and creation of a smoke-free generation.

These results are quite conservative, too. The Climate Change Commission assumed only minimal changes in walking. But the policies needed to deliver this pathway are all likely to increase walking substantially. And even the policies needed to achieve the technology pathway would increase walking.

Moreover, our health model itself is conservative. For example, we know the positive impacts of the behaviour pathway on mental health would be considerably larger than we were able to model.

Health and fairness

These findings also relate to the government’s emissions reduction plans, which were published after the Climate Change Commission delivered its advice.

The behaviour change pathway is similar to the approach taken in the first emissions reduction plan from 2022, so we can assume there would be comparable health impacts. In contrast, the approach in the draft second emissions reduction plan , published this year, is radically different.

This newer plan focuses on the emissions trading scheme (a pricing tool), increasing electric car charging infrastructure, and a few public transport projects (mainly in Auckland).

These policies are unlikely to have much impact on land transport emissions. Nor will they achieve the health benefits of even the technology pathway. Other transport policies – speed limit increases, expanded road building and weaker vehicle emissions standards – will likely counteract any potential benefits from the second emissions reduction plan, as well as make health worse.

This research illustrates how the way we choose to decarbonise transport is important. It adds to other local research showing that moving to a “planet-friendly” diet would result in large health, health equity and climate benefits.

Collectively these studies demonstrate how we can decarbonise in ways that meaningfully improve lives. And we can build support for climate policy by focusing on the things people truly value, such as health and fairness.

The author gratefully acknowledges her fellow researchers and co-authors on this project: Anja Mizdrak, Ryan Gage and Melissa McLeod, University of Otago; Rhys Jones and Alistair Woodward, University of Auckland; and Linda Cobiac, Griffith University.

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Bay of Islands invasive caulerpa battle gears up with $10 million boost

The main Bay of Islands caulerpa eradication barge with a smaller vessel alongside for bagged waste, which will take the bags to shore while the main barge keeps working. Photo / Northland Regional Council

Northland’s world-leading caulerpa eradication trials are taking a major step forward with a new national $10 million research funding boost, Northland Regional Council chairman Geoff Crawford says.

Research trials on the eradication of the invasive exotic pest at Bay of Islands’ Omākiwi Cove epicentre are already removing three tonnes of caulerpa from the seafloor daily.

Crawford said many people around New Zealand were eagerly awaiting the trial’s outcome.

The goal was to use the new government funds to significantly improve the mechanical eradication efficiency and expand towards doing this work on industrial scale.

The New Zealand-first eradication method could eventually be used around the country and overseas.

“This is a race. There is tremendous pressure to get this all moving,” Crawford said.

“We have no choice but to step forward with this new technology development. If we do nothing, the invasive pest will continue to grow and smother ecosystems, as is already happening at Omākiwi and around New Zealand,” Crawford said.

The research funding will be used towards adding a large underwater tractor unit that travels over the sea floor to the mechanical dredging trials, which began in Omākiwi Cove at the start of this year.

This will enhance the already internationally groundbreaking caulerpa eradication dredging barge technology .

The tractor unit has been designed by the same local Ōpua-based dredging and marine construction company, Johnson Bros, that developed initial mechanised eradication technology trialled at Omākiwi Cove with the support of earlier government funding.

This has now evolved to include two giant rotating cylinders called trommels, brought north from South Island gold mining operations to add to the trial’s caulerpa eradication efficiency.

Crawford said all stages of the procedure worked towards making sure caulerpa fragments were not breaking off and therefore spreading the pest.

A piece of exotic caulerpa, the size of a freckle, is capable of spreading to cover the equivalent of a rugby field within a few weeks in the right conditions.

Crawford said there was no time to waste. Some of the Omākiwi Cove ecosystem where the exotic pest was first identified in May last year was now denuded of life as the invasive caulerpa infestation deepens in places.

“There’s bugger-all biodiversity.

“There’s nothing living underneath the [Omākiwi Cove] caulerpa, everything is dead. It has thickened up since last year.”

A boat anchoring ban is now in place across more than 1000ha in the Bay of Islands to fight caulerpa’s spread . In November, a similar ban around Aotea/Great Barrier Island was expanded to 10,000ha. The invasive pest has also been found at Great Mercury Island, the Mokohinau Islands, Kawau Island, Waiheke Island and not far from Leigh Marine Reserve.

Exotic caulerpa’s major threat area runs from Cape Reinga to East Cape and councils are now working more closely together, along with iwi and other community members, in what is a fight for traditional kaimoana gathering areas and New Zealand’s traditional “boatie” way of life.

Crawford said the upgrade of including the underwater tractor unit in the Northland-developed eradication technology was part of working towards an outcome that would have national and international implications.

It would be the first effective, large-scale mechanical harvesting for the invasive pest on sandy-bottomed infestations in the world.

Crawford said he expected the trial to shift to a full operation scale within 18 months.

Former Portland fire chief and avid kaimoana gatherer Steve Wells said the boost for caulerpa eradication science research was essential.

Wells dives, fishes and gathers kaimoana with his wife Carolyn, something they have been doing for decades.

He said the growing threat of caulerapa invasion in harbours such as Whangārei is of major concern.

Scientific research trials towards eradication in the Bay of Islands were essential to finding an urgent solution.

Wells has started spreading the word among his diving mates as part of doing his bit in the caulerpa fight.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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