USA: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association will modernize its marine operations by replacing nine research ships and refurbishing a tenth in the next 15 years.
“Sea-going vessels are a key source of observational data used by NOAA scientists. A modern, more capable fleet will ensure we can meet the ever changing demands of the science community,” said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “When I arrived at NOAA in 2001, the average age of our fleet was 32 years. Today, it is 27, and at the end of this ambitious program the age will drop to 17.” NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations conducted an assessment of the 19 ships in the fleet, and determined that ten of those vessels will reach the end of their useful service life over the next 15 years. The fleet replacement plan is a comprehensive program to systematically replace or upgrade the fleet. The fleet supports a wide range of marine activities, including fisheries and coastal research, nautical charting, and long-range ocean and climate studies. NOAA's ships are specially equipped and designed to support the agency's programs, and have some capabilities not found in the commercial fleet. Nine vessels have entered into service since 2001, including ‘Okeanos Explorer’, the first NOAA vessel solely dedicated to ocean exploration.
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