Biggest U.S. Research Vessel
The biggest U.S. research Vessel is the NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown. It is 274 ft long and displaces over 3200 tonnes. It is also the largest vessel in the NOAA fleet and is specially designed for atmospheric and oceanographic research.
It was commissioned in July 1997 and is homeported in Charleston, South Carolina. The ship supports a variety of scientific missions around the world.
The biggest U.S. research ship is named after Ronald H. Brown, the first African American to serve as U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
He strove hard to generate employment for the citizens and ardently supported the NOAA fleet. He died in a plane crash on April 3, 1996, during a trade mission to Bosnia.
Technical Specifications of the Biggest U.S Research Vessel
- Length: 83.5 m
- Breadth: 16.0 m
- Draft: 5.8 m
- Displacement: 3,250 tons
- Endurance: 60 days
- Range 11,300 nautical miles
- Speed: 11 knots (maximum: 15 knots)
- Crew: 6 NOAA Corps officers, 1 medical officer, 22 crew, up to 31 scientists
Other Facilities
- It has laboratories covering 4,100 square feet, 5 main labs, and additional space for 9 lab vans.
- It also has a two-bed hospital facility.
- The ship is ice-strengthened for conducting polar research, enabling safe operations in Arctic and Antarctic waters.
- It has 2 fixed cranes, a portable crane, and a hydrographic boom.
- It has up to 19,000 kg lifting capacity and up to 10,000 metres of cable capacity.
- The ship’s dynamic positioning helps it to hold position within a 300 ft radius in the rough seas.
- The ship’s advanced sensors include multibeam echo sounder, sub-bottom profiler, ADCP, Doppler radar and acoustic positioning system.
The biggest U.S. research vessel has advanced instruments to collect data above and below the ocean surface, including carbon dioxide sensors for air and surface water, Doppler radar for atmospheric studies, echosounders and multi-beam sonar for seafloor mapping and other tools to measure the current salinity, speed, temperature, and conductivity.
The ship also collects environmental DNA (eDNA), nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, iron), and water samples from the surface to depths of more than 5,000 meters.
It also launches submersibles and Argo floats for long-term ocean monitoring. The ship supports real-time, remote-controlled research using ROVS and satellite communications.
Notable Missions of the Biggest U.S Research Vessel
The biggest U.S. Research Vessel is a regular participant in the Global Ocean Ship-based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP), conducting surveys on ocean health, circulation, and climate trends.
Between July 2013 and March 2017, it was deployed for 1,347 days, the longest for any NOAA ship, covering around 130,000 nautical miles and servicing over 80 ocean buoys.
It has contributed to research on atmospheric rivers, El Nino events, Arctic fisheries, continental shelf mapping and ocean acidification.
It frequently works with U.S and other international agencies and supports multi-agency studies on ocean temperatures, marine ecosystems and drought.
The ship is known for its unique ability to simultaneously obtain atmospheric and oceanographic data, enabling integrated weather and climate studies.
The research vessel shares its basic design with three U.S. Navy-owned research vessels, namely, RV Thomas G. Thompson, RV Roger Revelle, and RV Atlantis, operated by leading oceanographic institutions.
In March 2024, the ship completed a 55-day Atlantic cruise for the GO-SHIP A16N line, collecting data on ocean heat, carbon, oxygen, and nutrients, and deploying new ocean monitoring technology.
Following this, the ship was scheduled for repairs, marking a pause in its scientific endeavours.
You might also like to read-
- What are Research Vessels?
- 12 Noteworthy Research Vessels
- G.O Sars: The Most Advanced Research Vessel in the World
Disclaimer :
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Disclaimer :
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
Related Articles
Do you have info to share with us ? Suggest a correction
Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.
BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT