RV ''Oceanus'' is a Regional-class

research vessel A research vessel (RV or R/V) is a ship or boat designed, modified, or equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel but others require a dedicated ...

owned by the

National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...

, based in Newport, Oregon, and maintained and operated by

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate degree programs and a variety of graduate and doctor ...

. The ship was originally delivered to the

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI, acronym pronounced ) is a private, nonprofit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of marine science and engineering. Established in 1930 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, it i ...

(WHOI) for operation as a part of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet as a University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) designated operator. in November 1975. ''Oceanus'' made the first operational cruise in April 1976 and operated under WHOI for thirty-six years in the Atlantic Ocean with some operations in the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas. The ship was scheduled to be retired in November 2011 but instead was transferred to

, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, for operation, replacing sister ship, . On January 25, 2012 the ship began transit to Newport, Oregon and the

Hatfield Marine Science Center The Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) is a marine science research and education center next to Yaquina Bay of the Pacific Ocean in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is operated by Oregon State University in cooperation with five state and federal ...

for operation by Oregon State University. ''Oceanus'' arrived in Newport, Oregon on February 21, 2012 ahead of the March retirement of sister ship ''Wecoma''. ''Oceanus'' was an interim replacement during the period while NSF began the design and construction of three new Regional-class research vessels, the first of which is expected to be launched in 2023 and to be operated by OSU under the name RCRV ''Taani'' for NSF. ''Oceanus'' was built by Peterson Builders of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin to a design by John W. Gilbert Associates, Boston, completed 1975 with a mid-life refit in 1994. The ship is in length with a beam and draft powered by a single EMD diesel engine of for a cruising speed of with a range. She carries a crew of 12 with capacity for up to 19 project personnel with of laboratory space. ''Oceanus'' was described by WHOI as "the North Atlantic workhorse of the WHOI-UNOLS fleet", used extensively in

Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the United States, then veers east near 36°N latitude (North Carolin ...

and ocean circulation systems.

References

R/V ''Oceanus'' Specifications, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (General reference for ship specifications)

External links

R/V ''Oceanus'', College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oceanus Research vessels of the National Science Foundation University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System research vessels 1976 ships Ships built by Peterson Builders Oregon State University Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution