A NOAA Update for the February 1998 UNOLS Council Meeting - Galveston, TX
With regret, our individual schedules prevent us from sending a NOAA representative to the UNOLS Council meeting in Galveston in February. Consequently, I will attempt to provide the Council with some cuffent items of interest about what's happening in the NOAA Fleet.
RONALD H. BROWN is presently conducting operations on the Atlantic Climate Circulation Experiment and will begin Post Shipyard Availability (PSA) upon return the end of February. Following PSA, the ship will depart for the Ocean-Atmosphere Carbon Exchange Study (OACES) in the North Atlantic. Of particular note, because of extreme difficulties in acquiring pier space in Lisbon for Year of the Ocean at the time requested, BROWN will NOT be participating in the Nautical Exhibition and will not inport in Lisbon. NOAA ship time requests for FY 1999 and FY 2000 have been received and we are presently drafting a schedule to the Indian Ocean which will include a UNOLS cruise.
The KA’IMIMOANA A-76 solicitation was released in early December. At least ten industry responses have been received so far. The solicitation period closes February 27 with final award scheduled for April. IF, there is turnover to contractor operation, it would occur in late August.
A major repair period is underway on the fisheries vessel Oregon H which services the Gulf of Mexico. A Phase I refurbishment contract (3 and half month shipyard period) on RELENTLESS will be awarded shortly. Phase H (4 month shipyard) is expected to start in October. RELENTLESS will replace CHAPMAN in the summer of 1998 to conduct fisheries research in the Gulf of Mexico. Negotiations are continuing between National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Geological Service on use of WORTHY for tropical Pacific tuna-dolphin surveys in 1998 and beyond. An FRV feasibility package has been completed and distributed internally for the possible construction of new fisheries vessels.
On ship disposal: NOAA is in the final process of title transfer of ex. NOAA Ship SURVEYOR to new owners. Title transfer follows the successful completion of the required PCB remediation work. The new owner will be USS, Inc., 2650 NE Hwy 20, Suite G60, Bend Oregon, 97701. The current plan by USS, Inc is to offer the ship for sale for refit..... or lacking success in that effort proceed to scrap the vessel. MALCOLM BALDRIGE is undergoing remediation and DISCOVERER is planned for disposal.
Since Tom will probably discuss, I will just say that the sovereign immunity issue with Mexico is stiff under negotiation between NOAA General Counsel, DOS and USN.
The NOAA Corps is still here and permission to recruit is expected soon.
Respectfully submitted,
Commander Elizabeth White, NOAA
January 26, 1998