NSF Award
0071364
0071364<br/>Askew<br/><br/>Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. will operate the R/Vs Seward Johnson, Edwin Link, and Sea Diver during 2000 as general oceanographic research vessels in support of NSF-supported research projects. <br/><br/>The Seward Johnson is a 204 ft. vessel, constructed in 1984 and converted in 1994, and is owned and operated by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. The vessel is scheduled for a total of 269 operational days during 2000, of which 177 days are in support of NSF-supported investigators. The remaining cruises will support Navy, NOAA, and DOE projects. The projects scheduled on the Seward Johnson represent several oceanographic disciplines, including physical and chemical oceanography, and will fully utilize the capabilities of the vessel. Operations in 2000 will mainly take place in the South Atlantic, subtropical North Atlantic, and the western Equatorial Atlantic Ocean.<br/><br/>The Edwin Link is a 168 ft. vessel, constructed in 1982/84, and is owned and operated by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. The vessel is scheduled for a total of 160 operational days during 2000, of which 53 days are in support of NSF-supported investigators. The remaining cruises will support Navy and other private projects. The projects scheduled on the Edwin Link represent several oceanographic disciplines, including biological and chemical oceanography, and will fully utilize the capabilities of the vessel. The vessel will support several cruises which will use submersibles. Operations in 2000 will mainly take place in the North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and off the coast of Venezuela.<br/><br/>The Sea Diver is a 113 ft. vessel, constructed in 1959 and converted in 1992, and is owned and operated by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. The vessel is scheduled for a total of 88 operational days during 2000, of which 26 days are in support of NSF-supported investigators. The remaining cruises will support Navy projects. The projects scheduled on the Sea Diver represent several oceanographic disciplines, mainly biological oceanography, and will fully utilize the capabilities of the vessel. Operations in 2000 will take place mostly in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.<br/><br/>The R/Vs Seward Johnson, Edwin Link, and Sea Diver are part of a fleet of ships used by the National Science Foundation in support of marine science research. Most oceanographic projects require highly specialized equipment to be permanently installed on the vessels, thus the necessity for specialized ships. These vessels do not operate in the same mode as general cargo/fishing vessels. As a result, NSF supports the operation of a variety of ships specifically dedicated to oceanographic research that are operated by universities and institutions around the country.<br/>***
