Ship Operations

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The University of Southern California is in the process of converting the tuna clipper OSPREY into a research vessel that will be named the R/V VICKERS. Funding for the purchase and conversion of the vessel has been supplied mainly from private sources. NSF will supply funds for one 10-day cruise aboard the vessel in 1990. This grant is for one year only. This vessel is part of a fleet used by the National Science Foundation to support oceanographic research projects. Most oceanographic research projects require highly specialized equipment and extensive support from a ship's crew members. An increasing number of research projects require equipment that must be permanently installed on a ship and for which the ship must be specifically designed. Such equipment also requires hightly trained crew members for maintenance and operation. These vessels do not operate in the same manner as general cargo or fishing vessels, and therefore, NSF supports the operation of a variety of vessels specifically dedicated to oceanographic research. These vessels are operated by universities and research institutions around the country.