USA: Construction on Alaska’s New Research Vessel Sikuliaq Progresses as Planned

August 23, 2011

Construction on Alaska’s new research vessel, the R/V Sikuliaq, is in full swing. The Research Vessel Sikuliaq will replace the more than 40-year old R/V Alpha Helix that is now retired and was owned by the National Science Foundation. The R/V Sikuliaq is currently under construction at Marinette Marine Corporation, a shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin.

The need for a more capable ship to operate in the coastal and open ocean waters of the Alaska region was first recognized by marine scientists in the U.S. in 1973. In 2001, Congress appropriated $1M for a design study. Sufficient ice strengthening will allow the Sikuliaq to work safely in moderate seasonal ice, operating over a longer period than formerly possible in the North Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. The design is based on science mission requirements developed by the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System community.

The Sikuliaq, pronounced [see-KOO-lee-auk], will be a 261-foot oceanographic research ship capable of bringing scientists to the ice-choked waters of Alaska and the polar regions. When complete, the vessel will be one of the most advanced university research vessels in the world and will be able to break ice up to 2.5 feet thick. The Sikuliaq will be home ported in Alaska, at UAF’s Seward Marine Center in Seward. Vessel will be owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, as part of the U.S. academic research fleet. It will be used by scientists in the U.S. and international oceanographic community through the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System.

General Characteristics:

Length, Overall LOA 261 feet

Length, Design Waterline LWL 237 feet 0 inches

Beam, Max across reamer Bmax 52 feet

Beam, Max across hull amidship Bmidship 48 feet

Depth, Keel to Main Deck D 28 feet

Draft, Design Waterline TDWL 18 feet 9 inches

Freeboard, Design Waterline FDWL 8 feet 9 inches

Displacement at Design Waterline 3,665 long tons

Propulsion Power P 5,750 BHP

Performance:

Endurance 45 days