Page 22: of Marine Technology Magazine (November 2006)

The Class of 2006

With a plethora of boats and ships plying the world’s waters in the name of under- sea technology for the purpose of science, commerce or defense, MTR examines some of the more notable vessels delivered and announced in the past 12 months. 22 MTR November 2006

VT Halter Builds for NOAA

VT Halter Marine Inc. and the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have collectively had much to celebrate recent- ly, as NOAA and the Mississippi-based ship- builder have forged a strong relationship, cul- minating with a number of recent deliveries and contracts. Most recently, the pair celebrat- ed construction milestones for two new vessels at the Moss Point, Miss., shipyard. A tradition- al keel laying ceremony was conducted for

NOAA ship Pisces, which was preceded by the initial cutting of steel for the fourth and final vessel in the series. The sister ships will join

NOAA ships Oscar Dyson and Henry B.

Bigelow, which were also built by VT Halter

Marine.

The 208-ft. ships are being built to meet the requirements of NOAA Fisheries Service as well as tough acoustic quieting standards set by the International Council for Exploration of the Seas, a European-based organization that has developed a set of standards to optimize fisheries research. NOAA fishery ships have highly specialized capabilities, such as perform- ing hydro-acoustic surveys of fish, bottom and mid-water trawls, and running physical and biological-oceanographic sampling during a single deployment.

Once operational, the new fisheries survey vessels will be operated, managed, and main- tained by NOAA's Office of Marine and

Aviation Operations, composed of civilians and commissioned officers of the NOAA Corps. vessels

NOAA's new

Pisces takes form at Moss Point. (Photo: Don Sutherland)

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