What are Research Vessels?

Research vessel

Oceanological explorations are indispensable to the broad spectrum of science and technology, research, innovation, and development. Most scientific research on our planet is centred around oceans and seas.

Oceans are vast repositories of energy reserves, natural resources, flora and fauna, and, of course, dictating the entire climate system of the world. Moreover, oceans remain the dominant means of global trade, commerce, and transport, thanks to shipping and several applications in terms of defence systems.

Hence, exploration of the seas and oceans is also crucial for maritime transport and applications.

The foremost aspect of studying and researching the oceans is their litany of associated challenges.

Oceanographic research involves reaching uncharted territories far away from any landmass and, more importantly, delving into abysmal depths usually associated with extreme conditions like temperatures and titanic pressures.

Thus, for centuries, underwater explorations have remained a colossal challenge for mankind. Over the years, innovation in terms of technologies and resources has bolstered our efficacy in studying the oceans, eliminating pre-existing challenges and bottlenecks, and opening up paths that have made the expansive waters much more visible to us.

The only feasible means to carry out study and exploration of oceans is the use of vessels, both surface and underwater.

What are Research Vessels?

Research vessels are dedicated vessels used to conduct various kinds of research, and exploration works about the seas or oceans. They manifest their utility in two ways: 1) carrying equipment and necessary systems for research and exploration activities. 2) housing personnel and experts shall conduct the research and studies.

Research vessels are either new buildings or are often retrofitted from other general-purpose vessels. Retrofitting older cargo and passenger vessels is becoming quite an emerging trend.

From a basic design point of view, research vessels presuppose two chief requirements:

  • Basic or vessel requirement
  • Technical or scientific requirement

The former usually deals with the vessel’s capabilities in terms of speed, size, completeness, capacities, propulsion, design, endurance, performance, positioning, seakeeping, and resistance characteristics, basically the usual requirements of any vessel that determines its fitness in the seas.

For all practical purposes, research vessels do not have significant speed requirements as they do not need to adhere to any stringent time frame and must mostly remain stationary at a specific point or location so that the research and exploration work can be carried out. However, the other essential design requirements like manoeuvring, seakeeping, and structural strength are crucial.

Seakeeping and stability are important as research vessels venture into rough environments, further exacerbated by inclement atmospheric weather conditions.

These vessels remain there for a prolonged period and exhibit high levels of responses to wind disturbances and rough sea states, so the research and exploration activities not only remain mostly unhindered but related activities onboard, like in laboratories and data analysis centres, can function smoothly.

From a structural design point of view, as often many research vessels venture out into icy waters, ice class considerations with regards to strengthening the hull, additional constructions and material on specific critical regions of the hull (like ice belt), deck protection, maintenance of equipment and systems, are incorporated.

Endurance and sufficiency are crucial factors for research vessels as the primary requirement for any research vessel is sustenance on the sea for days at a stretch, if not months.

Henceforth, this necessitates that the vessel is fit enough to sustain itself and the crew and other utilities on board. Thus, research vessels should have propulsion design as well as practises (on-off timing, engine priming, engine speeds, power reduction, rpm setting, etc.) along with sufficient space in terms of fuel tankage, such that the fuel stowed on board is sufficient to cater for the vessel’s voyage to its necessary point (along with some margins) as well as the onboard power supply for a host of consumptions, ranging from hotel loads in accommodation spaces to consumptions in laboratories or testing centres to surplus supplies required for running systems and equipment for carrying out research and exploration works.

The framework for power utilisation on board differs from vessel to vessel and is quite distinct from normal cargo ships. Research vessels, new buildings or retrofitted ones often have extra fuel oil tanks to take into account for surplus expenditures. However, it is pretty common for research vessels to resort to in-sea replenishment from various supply vessels depending on the accessibility of its location and availability.

Another side of this sufficiency index includes providing supplies and consumables to sustain lives on board for prolonged periods. Research vessels, as we know, need to hold personnel and crew for days or months. Thus, an adequate amount of fresh water, food, raw materials, and other provisions and supplies is required. New buildings and retrofitted research vessels have extra spaces for the stowage of these store items.

Stationkeeping or positioning is also a critical parameter for research vessels. If that requirement falters, the entire purpose of research and studying while being strictly stationary at a particular location gets hampered. Modern vessels using GPS systems coupled with stability and DPS have significantly improved stationkeeping

On the other hand, the technical and scientific deal with the onboard facilities regarding necessary equipment, systems, laboratories, instrumentation, etc.

Broad Areas of Application of Research Vessels

For all practical purposes, research vessels are stationed at the specific point of interest, and all forms of equipment and personnel (like divers) are deployed, mostly for carrying out studies underneath the water surface.

All forms of data and observations are then reported back to the dedicated experts, scientists, engineers, etc., on board, who then process the inputs, analyse the data, understand certain implications, and make inferences that are recorded for future reference.

Application of RESEARCH VESSELs

For example, when a vessel is stationed at a certain coordinate location underneath which there are natural untapped petroleum reserves, certain forms of probing systems, along with expert divers who venture out to the ocean floor, are initially deployed.

After all forms of data are reported back on board, the team of experts and scientists deduces the feasibility parameters regarding the presence of the natural oil and gas reserves and formulates for siphoning them safely for processing and consumption.

In some cases, like meteorological survey vessels, underwater diving is not a part of the research paraphernalia. The study and data analysis takes place with the help of equipment and apparatus on board.

Some of the crucial areas of application of research vessels are:

Hydrographic Survey

This is the most important use of our research vessels. It involves mapping the seafloor and understanding its features and behaviour, such as underwater geography, hydrology, topology, bathymetric distribution, sediment transport and siltation, seismic characteristics, etc., along with studying surface characteristics like tides, waves, and current flow.

This forms the basis of vessels’ navigability behaviour, as well as other applications in defence research, economic or commercial feasibility studies (like construction of new ports, harbours, or SEZs), environmental science, dredging, fishing activities, and so on. Moreover, hydrographic studies are also important for oil and gas exploration.

Oceanographic studies

They are closely related to hydrographic research but, in a broad sense, also involve studying water’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics for various other forms of research related to ocean sciences.

Other special types of research

These include a litany of research activities related to polar exploration, special-purpose defence activities like planting underwater mines, and space satellite communication testing.

Some thoughts on design

As speed and carrying specific tonnage of cargo is not a requirement for research vessels, there is a great degree of independence when it comes to their design.

While we have discussed most of the yardsticks related to the basic design requirements in the first section, some other common features taken into consideration for the design philosophy of research vessels include the maximisation of deck spaces as housing all the manpower and personnel along with all the areas for research and other technical activities is indispensable.

To accommodate the utilities, the compartment volumes are kept as large as possible in tandem with the deck spaces.

BASIC CONSTRUCTION OF RESEARCH VESSEL

Most spaces for technical work, equipment, systems, communications, laboratories, and so on are on the main deck. However, for more complicated designs, there are spaces in the subsequent decks under the main deck as well. For retrofitted cargo vessels, the erstwhile hold spaces are mostly utilised for the same. The main deck is robustly strengthened as a huge portion of the load index is from the decks.

Not only are the scantlings of deck plates kept high, but the stiffening kept meticulous. This is a big challenge, especially for retrofitted vessels. Both transverse and longitudinal framing are kept at close spacing.

As space for accommodation is the main criterion and speeds are mostly secondary, research vessels are mostly bluff-form. However, since the minimisation of external disturbances is also a very important criterion, the hull forms optimise both the requirements for space and wave responses in new building vessels.

Lastly, as research vessels involve critical work and presuppose reducing acoustic signal interferences with various systems, electronics, and equipment to the very minimum, the designs must ensure the generation and propagation of such disturbances.

While the outer hull design (for the new building) and propulsion systems are made to ensure the least acoustic interferences, several other provisions are also made: isolation mounts in the way of all machinery and equipment, damping provisions in the way of all equipment and systems, noise-cancelling bulkheads and insulations, and so on.

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About Author

Subhodeep is a Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering graduate. Interested in the intricacies of marine structures and goal-based design aspects, he is dedicated to sharing and propagation of common technical knowledge within this sector, which, at this very moment, requires a turnabout to flourish back to its old glory.

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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.


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