Ship Operations

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0070791SmithUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks (Institute of Marine Science) will operate the R/V Alpha Helix during 2000 as a general oceanographic research vessel in support of NSF-supported research projects. The Alpha Helix is a 133 ft. vessel, constructed in 1966, and owned by NSF and operated by UAF. The vessel is scheduled for a total of 124 operational days during 2000, of which 34 days are in support of NSF-supported investigators. The remaining cruises will support NOAA, State of Alaska, and the North Pacific Marine Research Program. The projects scheduled on the Alpha Helix represent several oceanographic disciplines, including physical, chemical and biological oceanography, geology, benthic ecology and marine mammal behavior, and will fully utilize the capabilities of the vessel. The vessel will be used for a variety of projects such as maintaining moored arrays, providing a platform for instructional training and curriculum support, and supporting collaborative interagency research. Operations will take place in and around the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea.The Alpha Helix is part of a fleet of ships used by the National Science Foundation in support of marine science research. Most oceanographic projects require highly specialized equipment to be permanently installed on the vessel, thus the necessity for specialized ships. These vessels do not operate in the same mode as general cargo/fishing vessels. As a result, NSF supports the operation of a variety of ships specifically dedicated to oceanographic research that are operated by universities and institutions around the country.***