RV ''Kilo Moana'' (AGOR-26) is a

small waterplane area twin hull A small waterplane area twin hull, better known by the acronym SWATH, is a catamaran design that minimizes hull cross section area at the sea's surface. Minimizing the ship's volume near the surface area of the sea, where wave energy is located ...

(SWATH)

oceanographic research ship Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynami ...

owned by the

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

and operated by the

University of Hawaii A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

as a part of the

University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System The University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) is a group of academic institutions and National Laboratories organized in the United States to coordinate research vessel use for federally funded ocean research. Authority The UNOLS ...

(UNOLS) fleet. She was designed to operate in coastal and blue water areas. The unique SWATH hull-form provides a comfortable, stable platform in high sea conditions. In January 2012 ''Kilo Moana'' began taking on water from a baseball sized hole in her hull. The crew of the vessel along with the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...

were able to temporarily plug the hole and pump out the flooded spaces. She returned to her homeport of

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

safely and entered emergency drydock to repair the damaged hull. On 20 November 2019, the ship rescued a French-flagged sail catamaran ''Thetis.'' That ship with a crew of four was transiting the

Austral Islands The Austral Islands (french: Îles Australes, officially ''Archipel des Australes;'' ty, Tuha'a Pae) are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia, an overseas country of the French Republic in the South Pacific. Geographically ...

in French Polynesia when she began to take on water. The American vessel was able to fabricate parts needed to restore watertight integrity and the ''Thetis'' was able to continue her passage.

Construction

''Kilo Moana'' was built by Atlantic Marine

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

, for the Office of Naval Research. She was laid down on 9 February 2001 and launched on 17 November 2001. On 3 September 2003 ''Kilo Moana'' was delivered to the Navy as a and leased to the

on the same day.

References

University of Hawaii Marine Operations(UHMO)

UHMO: R/V ''Kilo Moana''

Photo Gallery Of the R/V ''Kilo Moana''
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kilo Moana University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System research vessels Oceanographic research ships of the United States Navy Small waterplane area twin hull vessels Ships built in Mobile, Alabama 2001 ships University of Hawaiʻi Military catamarans

Construction

See also

References