(BELLINGHAM, Wash.) — All American Marine (AAM) has announced a contract to build an innovative research vessel for the marine sciences program at the California Polytechnical Institute at Humboldt (Cal Poly).
The vessel is a 78-by-26.7-foot semi-displacement aluminum catamaran that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. It will incorporate the proven design elements of several recently delivered vessels, R/V Shackleford for Geodynamics and R/V Imua for the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
The vessel will be inspected to U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter T standards and will operate as a multipurpose research vessel in the near coastal waters of Northern California and Oregon, as well as offshore on ocean routes. This vessel’s twin-engine speed and fuel efficiency will be fundamental to meet Cal Poly’s research needs in its Northern California location, with immediate access to coastal environments and deepwater environments of continental shelves, slopes and canyons.
Similar to R/V Shackleford, this vessel for Cal Poly will be capable of supporting the emergent offshore wind industry on the West Coast for years to come. It will be outfitted with a Kongsberg ADCP electronics suite augmented by a fixed WASSP multibeam system.
The vessel will provide scientists, students and guests with a state-of-the-art platform, allowing them to access and study a wide array of marine environments. The knowledge gained from scientific missions on this vessel will directly support the management and conservation of California’s marine resources.
The vessel integrates the signature Teknicraft Design symmetrical and asymmetrical combined hull shape, bow wave piercer, and a patented dynamic hydrofoil-assisted hull design. The hull and hull components are designed to break up wave action and ensure reduced drag while enhancing passenger comfort. The design, derived from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis testing, is proven to have both low-wake wash energy and increased fuel economy.
The vessel, with a fuel capacity of 1,600 gallons, will consume approximately the same number of gallons per nautical mile throughout its estimated cruising speed of 18 to 24 knots, with a fuel-efficient survey operation speed of 4 to 8 knots, fully laden. The vessel will be able to accommodate up to 40 day passengers or 14 live-aboard.
“From the outset, our discussions with All American Marine have been highly productive in designing a vessel that is being built specifically to advance our academic vision of educating future scientists, while keeping the latest environmental standards in mind,” said Eric Riggs, dean, Cal Poly Humboldt College of Natural Resources & Sciences. “They have an excellent record designing and building state-of-the-art research vessels to the performance specifications we need on California’s North Coast, and this was a key consideration when we chose them as our builder. Upon completion, this vessel will become the centerpiece of our academic fleet, supporting our marine research and teaching efforts for decades to come.”
The propulsion package includes two fixed-pitch propellers powered by twin MAN D2862LE438 EPA Tier 4 engines, including a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The engines, rated at 1,182 bhp at 2,100 rpm, are designed to meet current California requirements. Scientists and crew will have comfortable live-aboard quarters, large state-of-the-art wet and dry lab spaces, as well as a range of the latest oceanographic equipment.
“All American Marine remains on the leading edge of manufacturing techniques and is an industry innovator, merging the latest technology into a functional and proven vessel,” said Ron Wille, All American Marine president and chief operating officer. “We are thrilled to receive this contract for another multi-mission research vessel that will service a variety of critical missions such as offshore research, oceanographic surveys and ocean monitoring, as well as informing the emergent offshore wind market on the West Coast. This vessel will open a new era of ocean conservation and research capabilities.”
– All American Marine
