(NARRAGANSETT, R.I.) — After nearly 50 years of continuous operation, the research vessel Endeavor will be retired from service upon completion of its final mission this month.
Owned by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography under a charter party agreement, the 185-foot ship was first launched in 1975. Over the course of its career, Endeavor brought thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians, students,and teachers on more than 700 expeditions and traversed more than 1 million miles in support of science, with each voyage adding to its legacy.
Some of the Endeavor’s historic milestones and impactful missions are chronicled here.
Here are some facts and figures about Endeavor:
• Number of scientific expeditions supported: 736
• Number of days at sea: 9,600
• Number of scientists on board: 8,096
• Number of countries visited (port stops): 22 – Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador, Barbados, Haiti, Canada, Iceland, Norway, France, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Monaco, Greece, Ukraine, Senegal, Namibia
• Deepest instrument deployment: 8,700 meters (28,543 feet)
• Longest expedition: 38 days
• Number of miles sailed: 1,030,000
Following the scheduled end of its last mission on Sept. 20 and the retirement of Endeavor, the University of Rhode Island will welcome a new research vessel in 2027. The $125 million ship, which is also owned by NSF, has been named Narragansett Dawn. The 199-foot vessel is being constructed by Bollinger Shipyards in Houma, La.
