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The NOAA Ship OSCAR DYSON was launched at VT Halter Marine, in Pascagoula, Mississippi on October 17, 2003. The OSCAR DYSON is the first of four new fisheries survey ships to be built by NOAA. Christened OSCAR DYSON by Mrs. Peggy Dyson-Malson, wife of the late Alaskan fisherman and fisheries industry leader, Oscar Dyson, the ship is one of the most technologically advanced fisheries survey vessels in the world. The ship will be homeported in Mr. Dyson's home town of Kodiak, Alaska beginning in Fall 2004.
OSCAR DYSON is a state-of-the-art research ship with multiple science mission capabilities. Foremost among these capabilities is acoustic quieting technology, which will enable NOAA scientists to monitor fish populations while greatly reducing distubance from the ship's noise. The ship has the capability to conduct hydroacoustic surveys of fish populations and simultaneously collect physical and biological oceanographic data, resulting in more effiicient data collection.
The OSCAR DYSON will support NOAA's mission to protect, restore and manage the use of living marine, coastal, and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management. Its primay objective will be to study and monitor Alaskan pollock and other fisheries in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. The ship will also observe weather, sea state, and other environmental conditons, conduct habitat assessments, and survey marine mammal and marine bird populations. information from the
vessel's web site.
The image in the header above is adapted from a photograph by Ray Broussard, courtesy of photographicvr.com |
| Vessel Ownership | ||||
| Vessel name: | Oscar Dyson | |||
| Vessel nationality: | United States | |||
| Vessel owner: | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: NOAA | |||
| Vessel operator: | NOAA Marine Operations Center, Pacific | |||
| Homeport: | Kodiak, Alaska, USA | |||
| Vessel web page: | http://www.moc.noaa.gov/od/ | |||
| Vessel Activities and Operating Areas | ||||
| Vessel's main activity: | Dedicated research vessel: Fisheries and Oceanographic research | |||
| Vessel operating areas: | The Oscar Dyson's primary objective is fisheries and environmental research in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. The vessel is capable of operations world-wide. | |||
| Primary Logistics Provider | ||||
| Organization: | NOAA Marine Operations Center, Pacific |  | ||
| Address: | 1801 Fairview Avenue East Seattle, WA 98102-3767 | |||
| Contact person or agency web page: | http://www.moc.noaa.gov/mop.htm | |||
| Scheduling Process | ||||
| Information for planning a project aboard the Oscar Dyson is provided by NOAA online at: http://www.moc.noaa.gov/od/science/planning.htm The following excerpt provides a general overview of the process: | ||||
| Permits and Legal Issues | ||||
| Clearances It is the Chief Scientist's responsibility to initiate the requests for clearances for ports of call and for scientific investigations in foreign waters. Most countries require at least a six (6) month notice, and the State Department likes an extra month to get their required paper work together. Wanda Campbell, Marine Operations Center, Atlantic (MOA), is NOAA's point of contact in these matters. Send email to: Wanda.Campbell@noaa.gov or call (757) 441-6800. | ||||
| Vessel Characteristics | ||||
| Vessel type: | Dedicated research vessel | |||
| Vessel length in meters: | 63.6 | |||
| Vessel length in feet: | 209 | |||
| Beam (Breadth) in meters: | 15 | |||
| Beam in feet: | 49 | |||
| Draft in meters: | 6 | Draft increases to 9 meters with the centerboard extended. | ||
| Draft in feet: | 20 | Draft increases to 30 feet with the centerboard extended. | ||
| Freeboard (deck to water) in meters: | 2.6 | |||
| Freeboard (deck to water) in feet: | 8.5 | |||
| Displacement GRT: | 2479 | |||
| Year built: | 2004 | |||
| Vessel Performance and Capabilities | ||||
| Propulsion power: | Integrated Diesel Electric, 24-Pulse DC SCR Drive System 2,300 kW/3,084hp: Two 1,150 kW (1,542 hp) Propulsion Motors on a Common Shaft • Two 1,360 kW Diesel Generators • Two 910 kW Diesel Generators Bow Thruster • Type: AC Induction Azimuthing • Rated Power: 720 kW (966 HP) | |||
| Range in km: | 22224 | |||
| Endurance (days): | 40 | |||
| Range in nautical miles: | 12000 | |||
| Cruising speed (knots, open water): | 14 | |||
| Accommodations | ||||
| Scientist berths: | 19 | |||
| Crew berths: | 19 | |||
| Laboratory Space | ||||
| The OSCAR DYSON has seven laboratory spaces, totalling 209 square meters ( 2250 square feet) that can be utilized by scientific personnel. Any anticipated needs should be discussed with the Command prior to a cruise. All working deck and laboratory areas are equipped with flush deck sockets to mount transient equipment. Each laboratory is also fitted with a Unistrut mounting system for easy reconfiguration in reponse to changing mission needs. Fish/Wet Lab: . . . . . . . . . . 69 m2 / 743 ft2 Chemistry Lab . . . . . . . . . 25 m2 / 269 ft2 Dry Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 m2 / 224 ft2 Hydrographic Lab . . . . . . . 15 m2 / 161 ft2 Autosalinometer Rm . . . . . 5 m2 / 54 ft2 Computer/Acoustic Lab. . . 46 m2 / 495 ft2 Controlled Env Rm . . . . . . . 8 m2 / 86 ft2 | ||||
| Onboard Science Equipment | ||||
| Oscar Dyson is capable of conducting multidisciplinary oceanographic operations in support of biological, chemical and physical process studies. The ship can complete oceanographic research consisting of deployment/ recovering of floating and bottom-moored sensors arrays. The ship has a traction-type oceanographic winch that can deploy up to 5,000 meters of 17mm wire rope or other cable types in conjunction with the large stern a-frame. Two hydrographic winches serve the side sampling station via the side a-frame.Each hydrographic winch can deploy 3,500 meters of 9.5 mm electro-mechanical wire so that two scientific packages can be rigged and ready for sequential operations. Water temperature, conductivity, and fluorescence can be measured as a function of depth using the hydrographic winches and a CTD system. Surface currents are measured with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, while a multibeam sonar system provides information on the content of the water column and on the type and topography of the sea floor while underway. In addition, capabilities are available for handling specialized gear such as MOCNESS frames, towed vehicles, dredges and bottom corers. | ||||
| A-Frames | ||||
| Onboard A-Frames: | There is an A-frame at the Side Sampling Station, which utilizes the hydrographic winch. | |||
| Winches, Wires and Cables | ||||
| Onboard winches: | Oceanographic Winch Quantity: 1 Type: Traction Maximum Wire Length: 5,000 meters/16,400 ft. Wire Size: 17mm/ .681 in. Wire Types: Rope, EM, or fiber optic Maximum Pull: 13 tons Location: below main deck, configured to support operations with hydraulically operated stern gantry Hydrographic Winches Quantity: 2 - Both used with Side A-Frame, one can also serve the Stern Gantry Maximum Wire Length: 3,500meters/ 11,480 ft. Wire Size: 9.5mm / .375 in. Wire Type: EM Location: Side Sampling Station via the side A-Frame | |||
| Other Science Features | ||||
| The Oscar Dyson is equipped with an electronics shop, a machine shop, and a bos'n shop. Each shop is supported with qualified personnel and is able to complete repairs to, and on occasion modify, scientific sampling equipment at sea. This capability has enabled adapting specialized equipment and fabricating damage parts to ensure project completion. Centralized controls for fishing systems, ship speed and maneuvering are provided at the Aft Control Station (ACS) on the bridge. Local controls are provided for each winch and lifting device. The ACS is located to give the vessel operators maximum visibility of the working deck. A closed circuit TV system is included for visibility of below-deck winches and selected areas of the deck. An integrated bridge system with dynamic positioning capability ensures trackline, course, speed, and heading are maintained during scientific operations. The Scientific Sonar System and various oceanographic hydrophones are located on a retractable centerboard (drop keel) so that critical scientific transducers can be lowered away from the ship out of the region of hull-generated flow noise. | ||||
| Onboard Medical Facilities | ||||
| Medical facilites: | Medical Treatment Room. Emergency and first-aid equipment aboard, administered by designated vessel personnel. | |||
"A formal request for ship time is submitted on a Ship Time Request Form (NOAA Form 77-65) [available online]. This form should be submitted at least one year or more in advance of the planned cruise. Once the requestor completes the form and it has been passed through the requestor's chain of command, it is submitted to NMAO Headquarters (Program Services Division). When all request forms have been received, Fleet Working Group meetings are convened by the Chief of Program Services. Present at this meeting are representatives from all line offices (NOS, OAR, NMFS, & NESDIS). The working group reviews the requests and drafts a Fleet Allocation Plan for the next fiscal year. "