NOAA research ship Okeanos Explorer
The Okeanos is the only U.S. government ship dedicated solely to exploring unknown parts of the ocean. It is a former Navy surveillance ship that was obtained by NOAA in 2005 and converted at a shipyard in Seattle into a deep-sea research vessel.
The Okeanos is the only U.S. government ship dedicated solely to exploring unknown parts of the ocean. It is a former Navy surveillance ship that was obtained by NOAA in 2005 and converted at a shipyard in Seattle into a deep-sea research vessel.
The ship, named for the Greek word for “oceans,” was commissioned in August 2008, equipped with the latest technology for ocean mapping, deployment of unmanned submersibles, onboard laboratories and real-time transmission of images and data collected during expeditions.
Homeported in Davisville, Rhode Island, state marine research resources appealed to NOAA. They include facilities at Naval Station Newport and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, NOAA ship Henry B. Bigelow docked in Newport, and URI’s research ship Endeavor.
The ship is currently being tested in the waters around Hawaii and is set to arrive in Rhode Island in 2011.
Maritime Logistics Professional ENews is the industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email three times per week