R/V Oceanus



	Enlarge Image The research vessel Oceanus. (Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
	Enlarge Image Oceanus is the North Atlantic workhorse of the WHOI-UNOLS fleet, and it has been used extensively in recent years for studies of the Gulf Stream and related ocean circulation systems and for monitoring harmful algal blooms. Above, Oceanus battled high seas and rough weather off Cape Hatteras in January 2005. (Photo by Chris Linder, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

The research vessel (R/V) Oceanus is owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by WHOI. The ship has been used extensively in recent years for studies of the Gulf Stream and the Deep Western Boundary Current, of climate change, and of harmful algal blooms (popularly called “red tides”).

Oceanus is a mid-sized research vessel designed for expeditions lasting two to four weeks. The ship spends most of its time working in the North Atlantic, with occasional trips to the Mediterranean, South Atlantic, and Caribbean. It is the WHOI-operated vessel you are most likely to see in Woods Hole.

Oceanus was delivered to Woods Hole in November 1975, and the first scientific voyage was undertaken in April 1976. The ship is operated by a crew of 12 and accommodates a scientific party of 19 for up to 30 days at sea.

The ship underwent a major mid-life renovation in 1994, which included the construction of a new deck house and new pilot house, along with increases in laboratory space and accommodations for scientists. Outfitted with three winches and a crane, the ship is often used for deploying oceanographic buoys and moorings and for hydrographic surveys, though it is capable of all types of chemical, biological, and geological studies.

The ship was designed by John W. Gilbert Associates of Boston and constructed by Peterson Builders of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The name of the ship is drawn from Greek mythology. The Titan Oceanus, father of the river gods and sea nymphs, was represented as a great stream of water encircling the Earth. Oceanus was believed to be the source of all bodies of water.

More about R/V Oceanus
» Specifications
» Ship Schedule
» Layout & Berthing Diagrams
» Laboratory & Science Spaces
» Scientific Equipment
» Support Services
» Shipboard Computing
» Communication at Sea
» Where is Oceanus Now?

Last updated: December 17, 2009

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