The new RCRV will be able to run parallel to troughs, rather than turning the bow into waves and swells.

Sea Keepingīilge keels, a retractable centerboard, a wider beam, and especially the “U-Tube” will greatly reduce roll. Here are a few key reasons why these new ships fit the bill and anticipate how marine research and exploration will be conducted in the coming decades. CapabilitiesĪttributes of the new RCRVs reflect the NSF’s desire to operate fewer, more capable, vessels. The design phase for all three vessels is complete and construction on the first two has begun.ĭuring the design phase, OSU engaged marine architects Glosten Associates of Seattle, Wash.īollinger Houma Shipyards in Houma, La., was selected by Oregon State University to build all three of the NSF’s newest RCRVs. The first of NSF’s three new research vessels, R/V Taani, will be operated by OSU along the U.S. In early 2013, the National Science Foundation (NSF) selected Oregon State University’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (OSU) to lead design, construction, and trial phases of the RCRV program. R/V Narragansett Dawn is expected to enter service in 2023. The ships can operate in coastal regions worldwide, make open ocean transits, and operate in or around light first-year ice. The regional class research vessels (RCRVs) under construction are modern monohull ships with integrated diesel-electric propulsion that are capable of general-purpose interdisciplinary oceanographic research.

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