Global Class Research Vessel
Community Input to Science Mission Requirement

Updated: September 22, 2006

Input received from the SMR on-line questionnaire form <http://www.unols.org/committees/fic/Global/GCSMR_Survey_Form.asp> will be posted at this site.


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Robert Embley / NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Marine Geology and Geophysics - Submarine volcanology, seafloor neotectonics, submarine geomorphology

3. Geographic Area of Interest: N.E. Pacific, Western Pacific, Equatorial Pacific, South Pacific, Australia - Intermediate and fast spreading mid-ocean ridges and intraoceanic submarine volcanic arcs

4. Accommodations - high

Minimum berths: 38

Maximum berths: <30

The whole isssue of berthing requirements might change in the future with the advent of global broadband access, i.e., more opportunity to take part in cruises in virtual mode. Also, the berthing numbers for these vessels are often not realistic, i.e., several of the berths are almost never used because of conflicts with marine tech berthing, etc.

5. Range - medium

10061 to 13,000 nautical miles

6. Speed - medium

Maximum sustained transit speed: ten_to_twelve knots

Station/Survey speed: None Selected knots

I think this question needs to be rephrased, i.e., often one wants to collect multibeam or other speed dependent data on transit. Maybe have 2 categories, maximum sustained (just want to make time without using excessive fuel) and minimum, e.g., DP controlled speed

7.  Seakeeping - high

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: Six

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: Six

Coring operations 50% of the time: Five

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: Five

8Station Keeping Characteristics - high

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above:  five meters

9.  Deck Working Area - high

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

4000 square feet

Primarily for fly-away ROV setup and mooring arrays

10.  Laboratory - high

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 1700 Required  
Wet lab 230 Required  
Hydro lab (separate) 700 Required  
Computer lab 600 Required  
Analytical/Biochemical 300 Required  
Climate control chamber 63 Required  
Walk in Freezer 63 Required  
Darkroom none Not Required  
Staging bay/ Hanger 350 Required  
Science Office 65 Required  

Will need more robust -80 C freezer capability, either built in or multiple units to provide backup.

11.  Science Storage Requirements - high

15000 cubic feet

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements - high

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Small diameter FO Cable winch Never Used
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope) Needed On Occasional Cruises
Large diameter EM Cable winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
Large diameter FO Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly

13.  Towing Requirements - medium

Towing sidescans primarily

14. Crane Requirements - high

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - high

16.  Acoustic System Requirements - high

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Acoustic Doppler Velocity Profiler (ADCP)    
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping 12 kHz; plus mid/shallow  
Precision Depth Sounder standard  
Sub-bottom profiler Chirp  
Acoustic Navigation System USBL or SBL  

Optimal would be a full-ocean depth high resolution multibeam with a 1 deg x 1 deg minimum resolution and a mid/shallow water multibeam with state of the art resolution.

17.  Navigation - high

Integrated GPS with an USBL and/or a SBL system (latter uses the ship as a baseline for deeper water work. Might mean high precision GPS at several points on vessel combined with hull-mounted acoustic arrays.

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - high

State of the art network for computers. Wireless comms throughout ship if possible

19.  External Communication - high

A broadband stabilized antenna for sending high definition video etc.

20.  Van Requirements - medium

Maximum number of vans you would need? na

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? no

List the type of vans you might need?

I dont use vans so can't really commment on this.

21.  Other science requirements -

Should be some sort of capacity for handling (deploying/recovering/servicing) fleets of AUVs and other ocean sensors for global observing program and specialized programs.

22.  Additional Comments:


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Randy Watts / URI

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Physical Oceanography - dynamics of large scale currents, mesoscale eddies, and finer scales

3. Geographic Area of Interest: North Atlantic, North Atlantic High Latitude, Caribbean & Gulf, South Atlantic, N.E. Pacific, Western Pacific, Indian Ocean - strong variable current systems

4. Accommodations -

Minimum berths: 30

Maximum berths: 37

5. Range -

10796 to 13,000 nautical miles

6. Speed -

Maximum sustained transit speed: twelve_to_fourteen knots

Station/Survey speed: six knots

7.  Seakeeping -

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: Six

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: four

Coring operations 50% of the time: None Selected

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: None Selected

8Station Keeping Characteristics -

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above: five meters

9.  Deck Working Area -

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

4000 square feet

10.  Laboratory -

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 1500 Required  
Wet lab 230 Required  
Hydro lab (separate) 700 Required  
Computer lab None Selected    
Analytical/Biochemical None Selected    
Climate control chamber None Selected    
Walk in Freezer None Selected    
Darkroom None Selected    
Staging bay/ Hanger 350 Required  
Science Office None Selected    

11.  Science Storage Requirements -

10000 cubic feet

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements -

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
Small diameter FO Cable winch  
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope)  
Large diameter EM Cable winch  
Large diameter FO Cable winch  

13.  Towing Requirements -

14. Crane Requirements -

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements -

16.  Acoustic System Requirements -

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Acoustic Doppler Velocity Profiler (ADCP)    
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping    
Precision Depth Sounder    

17.  Navigation - high

state-of-the-art

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs -

19.  External Communication -

20.  Van Requirements -

Maximum number of vans you would need? 2

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? no

List the type of vans you might need? Storage Van

21.  Other science requirements -

22.  Additional Comments:


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James Broda / WHOI

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Marine Geology and Geophysics - Sea Floor Sampling

3. Geographic Area of Interest: North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Arctic, Antarctic - Globally

4. Accommodations - high

Minimum berths: 35

Maximum berths: 35

5. Range - high

12000 to 10,796 nautical miles

6. Speed - medium

Maximum sustained transit speed: ten_to_twelve knots

Station/Survey speed: three knots

7.  Seakeeping - high

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: None Selected

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: None Selected

Coring operations 50% of the time: four

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: four

8Station Keeping Characteristics - high

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above: five meters

9.  Deck Working Area - high

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

4000 square feet

10.  Laboratory - medium

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 1500 Required  
Wet lab 700 Required  
Hydro lab (separate) 500 Required  
Computer lab 500 Required  
Analytical/Biochemical None Selected Not Required  
Climate control chamber None Selected Not Required  
Walk in Freezer None Selected Not Required  
Darkroom None Selected Not Required  
Staging bay/ Hanger 500 Required  
Science Office 100 Optional/Desired  

11.  Science Storage Requirements - high

15000 cubic feet

clod storage vans , major main hold areas

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements - high

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Never Used
Small diameter FO Cable winch Never Used
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope) Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
Large diameter EM Cable winch Never Used
Large diameter FO Cable winch Never Used

we have a new synthetic rope winch [working load = 55 tons] under construction which will be equipped with 7000 meters of 2" high modulus synthetic rope.

13.  Towing Requirements - low

14. Crane Requirements - high

multiple cranes that can reach each others work circles

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - high

have created purpose built system dedicated to handling 50 meter coring system

16.  Acoustic System Requirements - high

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping    
Precision Depth Sounder    
Sub-bottom profiler    

17.  Navigation - high

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - medium

19.  External Communication - high

will need to connect with vendors real time for systems troubleshooting

20.  Van Requirements - high

Maximum number of vans you would need? 4

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? no

List the type of vans you might need? Cold Van, Lab Van - general, Equipment/Workshop van

we bring our own

21.  Other science requirements -

22.  Additional Comments:


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Albert Suchy / WHOI

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Ship Operations and Management - Ship Operations

3. Geographic Area of Interest: As an operator, we go where the science takes us.

4. Accommodations - high

Minimum berths: 37

Maximum berths: 37

This would be based on crew members having individual staterooms with science rooms being doubles.

5. Range - high

17280 to 17,280 nautical miles

6. Speed - medium

Maximum sustained transit speed: ten_to_twelve knots

Station/Survey speed: three knots

A sampling speed of 0 to 3 kts may be more desirable.

7.  Seakeeping - high

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: Seven

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: Six

Coring operations 50% of the time: Six

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: Five

CTD requirement may appear to be excessive, but truth be told our Global and Intermedaite vessels are currently executing CTD casts in 20 to 30 ft seas.

8Station Keeping Characteristics - high

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above: one meter

In reality it would appear that a 3 meter requirement would be more appropriate.

9.  Deck Working Area - high

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

4000 square feet

10.  Laboratory - high

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 1700 Required  
Wet lab 230 Required  
Hydro lab (separate) 700 Required  
Computer lab 600 Required  
Analytical/Biochemical 300 Required  
Climate control chamber 100 Required yes
Walk in Freezer 100 Required yes
Darkroom 76 Optional/Desired  
Staging bay/ Hanger 500 Required  
Science Office 65 Required  

11.  Science Storage Requirements - high

15000 cubic feet

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements - high

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Small diameter FO Cable winch Needed On Occasional Cruises
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope) Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Large diameter EM Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Large diameter FO Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically

13.  Towing Requirements - high

Similar to Oceans class with perhaps just a bit more capability commensurate with size of ship.

14. Crane Requirements - high

I believe we will need to create a requirement that exceeds the Oceans Class to match the needs of science in a new global class of vessel. Not sure by how much, but it will need to exceed 20,000 lbs at a 20ft reach. I also believe we will need to exceed the sea state 4 criteria and get to at least a sea state 5 level. A second crane will be needed and it will likely need to exceed the 10,000 lb at 12 ft reach of the Oceans class. The deck level knuckle boom type cranes will also be needed as required by the Oceans class and I think 2 will be required.

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - high

Similar to Oceans Class, but likely even more capable.

16.  Acoustic System Requirements - high

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Acoustic Doppler Velocity Profiler (ADCP)    
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping    
Precision Depth Sounder    
Sub-bottom profiler    
Acoustic Navigation System    

I think all these will be needed, but defer to science on the frequencies and types.

17.  Navigation - high

An array of different GPS/WAAS units (at least 4) will be needed and at least one of an accuracy that will require annual subscriptions (cost in the 10s of thousands of dollars each year as installed on Knorr and Atlantis) to use. Current DP systems use 3 GPS inputs.

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - high

Defer to science and SSSG Techs.

19.  External Communication - high

Continuous internet at a bandwidth to be defined by science is a must.

20.  Van Requirements - medium

Maximum number of vans you would need? 6

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? no

List the type of vans you might need? Cold Van, Storage Van, Lab Van - general, Isotope Van, Equipment/Workshop van, Other (describe below)

Chemical van is a must on the globals.

21.  Other science requirements -

22.  Additional Comments:


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Bruce Howe / University of Washington

1 & 2. Discipline & Field of Study: Physical Oceanography - Acoustical oceanography, ocean acoustics, ocean acoustic tomography, sensor networks in ocean observatories (mooring systems and mobile platforms, eg gliders)

3. Geographic Area of Interest: N.E. Pacific, Hawaii Is. Chain, South Pacific - Typically in the northeast Pacific, but have worked in Greenland Sea, Sargasso Sea, Indian Ocean, Philippine Sea. Intend to participate in the Global and Regional portions of ORION.

4. Accommodations - medium

Minimum berths: 38

Maximum berths: 45

I see these ships being used for long term/range combined science and ORION maintenance cruises. so likely ROV crews, observatory techs, and science.

5. Range -

15000 to none selected nautical miles

should be derived from specific use case scenarios higher speeds will help lower science salary costs (usually hidden or ignored since usually from a different accounting pot)

6. Speed -

Maximum sustained transit speed: twelve_to_fourteen knots

Station/Survey speed: None Selected knots

In my work, on station means zero speed, or very slow towing a mooring.

7.  Seakeeping - high

What is the maximum Sea State through which you would normally expect to carry out the following representative operations:

CTD operations 90% of the time: Six

Mooring deployments 75% of the time: Five

Coring operations 50% of the time: None Selected

ROV or other sensitive deployment operations 50% of the time: Five

no experience with coring need to get rigorous quantification here from science scenarios

8Station Keeping Characteristics - high

Using DP, how closely would you need a Global Class vessel to hold station in the Sea State you specified for ROV operations above: five meters

I used the Melville recently (low frequency acoustics) and could maintain +/-10 m peak-peak. would like better (even 1 m - can now get nav accuracy from C-Nav and others) both for acoustics (fractions of a wavelength - 20 m for 75 Hz) and for setting seafloor observatory components.

9.  Deck Working Area - high

What is the total open working deck area that you would need on the aft working deck?

4500 square feet

Again, need specific scenarios (ROV(s), moorings, together)

10.  Laboratory - medium

Choose lab space type and size you consider appropriate for a Global Class R/V:

Lab Type Size range Required? in a van?
Main (dry) lab 2000 Required  
Wet lab 400 Optional/Desired  
Hydro lab (separate) 700 Optional/Desired  
Computer lab 700 Required  
Analytical/Biochemical 300 Required  
Climate control chamber 100 Optional/Desired yes
Walk in Freezer 100   yes
Darkroom 100   yes
Staging bay/ Hanger 750 Required  
Science Office 100 Optional/Desired  

Dark rooms - still used?

11.  Science Storage Requirements - medium

20000 cubic feet

thinking of multiple moorings and ROV

12.  Winch and Wire Requirements -

Winch Type Usage
CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
2nd EM Cable/CTD winch Need Every Cruise/Used Regularly
Small diameter FO Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Trawl/coring winch (large wire rope) Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Large diameter EM Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically
Large diameter FO Cable winch Need Every Cruise/Used Periodically

Do these FO cables have power too - I assume so. if so, these might supplement the EM.

13.  Towing Requirements - low

I can conceive of experiments towing sound sources/receivers, with seismic streamers a "worst" case. But this is low probability.

14. Crane Requirements - high

Need to move mooring componets around on deck, as well for deployment/recovery.

15.  Over-the-side Handling Requirements - high

Heave compensation is essential for heavy mooring and rov deployments, and close to bottom work.

16.  Acoustic System Requirements -

System Frequency(s) Type, model, etc.
Acoustic Doppler Velocity Profiler (ADCP)    
Multi-Beam Swath Mapping    
Precision Depth Sounder    
Sub-bottom profiler    
Acoustic Navigation System 10kHz  

frequencies appropriate for full ocean depth integrate acoustics for comms and nav

17.  Navigation - high

Need/want decimeter accuracy in real time, e.g, C-Nav is well worth the cost.

18.  Shipboard Communication Needs - medium

Normal internet/LAN and voice

19.  External Communication - high

Need routine email, and work towards video conferencing and VoIP.

20.  Van Requirements -

Maximum number of vans you would need? 4

Do you think vans should be used for additional berthing? no

List the type of vans you might need? Storage Van, Lab Van - general, Equipment/Workshop van

21.  Other science requirements -

22.  Additional Comments:


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