Commissioning of AWI’s New Research Ship MYA II, Germany

Commissioning of AWI's New Research Ship MYA II

Alfred Wegener Institute, Sylt, Germany has commissioned its newest research ship the MYA II. Tomorrow, the research ship MYA II will be handed over at a ceremony in List on Sylt.

The MYA II has a length of 21m, 1.30m draught and maximum speed of ten knots. Ten percent of the 4.5 million euro development and construction costs for the MYA II were met by the State of Schleswig-Holstein, and 90 percent from federal funds. One highlight will be the awarding of the “Blue Angel” eco label for the environmentally friendly ship design of the MYA II.

Whilst this is our smallest research vessel, it is extremely modern and ideally equipped for coastal research”, said Prof. Dr. Karin Lochte, Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) during the launch of the MYA II last month in the Fassmer shipyard.

Commissioning of AWI's New Research Ship MYA IIShe is impressed by the modern technology on board which is reminiscent of the equipment on large research vessels. The ship has a network and data logging system, which continually stores the measurements from various sensors centrally. Fixed installations include a navigation system for precise position location, a sonar system for mapping the seabed, a multibeam echo sounder to estimate the biomass of fish and an ADCP for measuring the current. In addition the stern of the MYA II has a crane boom, the so-called A-frame. Using this the two-man crew and up to twelve scientists are able to lift heavy equipment weighing up to a tonne from the working deck into the water, such as the box corer used to obtain sediment samples. These scientific measurement and sampling devices are moved using trawl lines or research winches. In addition to recording data, a so-called single core cable enables sampling devices to be opened or closed by computer if the sensors indicate conditions pointing to exciting small algae or animals.

Unlike its predecessor, the research catamaran MYA, the MYA II is a single hull ship, achieving a speed of up to ten knots.

We placed great value on environmentally friendly technology when building the MYA II in order to minimise disturbance to the Wadden Sea caused by research activities,” says AWI Director Prof. Dr. Karin Lochte. The new ship, which cost 4.5 million euros to build, has a particulate filter as well as a waste gas purification system, which removes nitrogen oxide (NOx) from engine exhaust fumes. As a result, the NOx emissions of the MYA II are around 85 % below the current limit. Moreover an environmentally friendly ship coating was used and an impressed current system was installed to prevent corrosion on the hull as a substitute for toxic zinc anodes. Neither wastewater nor oily bilge water from the engine room get into the sea, but are disposed of in port.

The eco label will be revealed during a celebration on 13 August 2013 when the MYA II is handed over to science. Following the commissioning of the ship, it will open its doors from 4.30 to 7 pm in List harbour on Sylt to give interested guests an opportunity to look around the new research vessel.

[mappress]

Press Release, August 12, 2013