NOAA Ship Albatross IV
Encyclopedia
NOAA Ship Albtaross IV (R 342) was a fisheries
research ship in commission in the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries from 1963 to 1970 and in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
from 1970 to 2008.
. She was launched in April 1962.
The ice
-strengthened hull
of the ship was 187 feet (57 meters) long. The ship had a total of 38 bunk spaces. Between the crew and officers mess rooms
, the ship could seat 21 for meals. She carried a complement of 21—4 NOAA Corps
officers, 1 civilian
officer, and 16 crew (including 3 licensed engineers -- and in addition could accommodate up to 14 scientist
s.
Her deck equipment featured four winch
es, one boom crane
, an A-frame
, a J-frame, and a portable gantry
. This equipment gave Albatross IV a lifting capacity of up to 10,000 pounds (4,530 kilograms) as well 20,000 feet (6,090 meters) of cable that can pull up to 16,000 pounds (7,250 kilograms). Each of the winches serves a specialized function ranging from trawling
and dredging to hydrographic
surveys
.
In support of her primary mission of fishery
and living marine resource research for the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) division of NOAA, the ship had shallow- and deep-water echo sounders
, a fishfinder
, and an Acoustic
Doppler
Current Profiler (ADCP). Additional scientific equipment included a thermosalinograph and a fluorometer. She had 800 square feet (74 square meters) of laboratory
space with specialty labs for plankton
and oceanographic
chemistry
. A 16-foot (4.8 m) launch
was available for utility or rescue operations.
into service with the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries on May 9, 1963. When NOAA was established in 1970 and took over the Bureaus assets, she became part of the NOAA fleet.
Based at Woods Hole
, Massachusetts
, Albatross IV conducted fisheries and living marine resources research off the northeastern coast of the United States
.
On May 12, 1986, shipyard
workers were working in Albatross IVs marine sanitation device compartment when one of them accidentally set off the compartments fixed carbon dioxide
firefighting system. Although the other workers escaped, one man, Kelly Prince, passed out in the compartment. He would have suffocated
, but three members of the ships crew -- NOAA Corps
Lieutenant
Dean Smehil, civilian
third assistant engineer Daniel J. Parry, and the ships executive officer
-- put on Scott air packs and crawled into the very tight compartment. In moments, Smehil and Parry dragged the unconscious Prince from the compartment to safety, saving his life. For their heroism, Smehil and Parry received the 1986 Department of Commerce Gold Medal.
Albatros IV was decommissioned
on November 20, 2008. She now is inactive in NOAAs Atlantic Fleet.
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
research ship in commission in the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries from 1963 to 1970 and in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
from 1970 to 2008.
Construction and characteristics
Albatross IV was built at Southern Shipbuilding in Slidell, LouisianaSlidell, Louisiana
Slidell is a city situated on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 25,695 at the 2000 census. The Greater Slidell Community has a population of about 90,000...
. She was launched in April 1962.
The ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
-strengthened hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
of the ship was 187 feet (57 meters) long. The ship had a total of 38 bunk spaces. Between the crew and officers mess rooms
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
, the ship could seat 21 for meals. She carried a complement of 21—4 NOAA Corps
NOAA Corps
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps is one of seven federal uniformed services of the United States, which operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , a scientific agency within the Department of Commerce...
officers, 1 civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
officer, and 16 crew (including 3 licensed engineers -- and in addition could accommodate up to 14 scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s.
Her deck equipment featured four winch
Winch
A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in or let out or otherwise adjust the "tension" of a rope or wire rope . In its simplest form it consists of a spool and attached hand crank. In larger forms, winches stand at the heart of machines as diverse as tow trucks, steam shovels and...
es, one boom crane
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
, an A-frame
A-Frame
An A-frame is a basic structure designed to bear a load in a lightweight economical manner. The simplest form of an A-frame is two similarly sized beams, arranged in a 45-degree or greater angle, attached at the top...
, a J-frame, and a portable gantry
Gantry
Gantry may refer to:*Gantry crane, a crane having a hoist fitted in a trolley for parallel movement*Gantry , the frame which encloses and services a rocket at its launch pad*Gantry , an overhead assembly on which highway signs are posted...
. This equipment gave Albatross IV a lifting capacity of up to 10,000 pounds (4,530 kilograms) as well 20,000 feet (6,090 meters) of cable that can pull up to 16,000 pounds (7,250 kilograms). Each of the winches serves a specialized function ranging from trawling
Trawling
Trawling is a method of fishing that involves pulling a fishing net through the water behind one or more boats. The net that is used for trawling is called a trawl....
and dredging to hydrographic
Hydrography
Hydrography is the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water and establishment of the sea, river or lake bed topography and morphology. Normally and historically for the purpose of charting a body of water for the safe navigation of shipping...
surveys
Hydrographic survey
Hydrographic survey is the science of measurement and description of features which affect maritime navigation, marine construction, dredging, offshore oil exploration/drilling and related disciplines. Strong emphasis is placed on soundings, shorelines, tides, currents, sea floor and submerged...
.
In support of her primary mission of fishery
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
and living marine resource research for the National Marine Fisheries Service
National Marine Fisheries Service
The National Marine Fisheries Service is a United States federal agency. A division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the...
(NMFS) division of NOAA, the ship had shallow- and deep-water echo sounders
Scientific echosounder
A scientific echosounder is a device which uses SONAR technology for the measurement of underwater physical and biological components—this device is also known as scientific SONAR...
, a fishfinder
Fishfinder
A fishfinder is an instrument used to locate fish underwater by detecting reflected pulses of sound energy, as in SONAR. A modern fishfinder displays measurements of reflected sound on a graphical display, allowing an operator to interpret information to locate schools of fish, underwater debris,...
, and an Acoustic
Acoustics
Acoustics is the interdisciplinary science that deals with the study of all mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics...
Doppler
Doppler effect
The Doppler effect , named after Austrian physicist Christian Doppler who proposed it in 1842 in Prague, is the change in frequency of a wave for an observer moving relative to the source of the wave. It is commonly heard when a vehicle sounding a siren or horn approaches, passes, and recedes from...
Current Profiler (ADCP). Additional scientific equipment included a thermosalinograph and a fluorometer. She had 800 square feet (74 square meters) of laboratory
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
space with specialty labs for plankton
Plankton
Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. That is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
and oceanographic
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. A 16-foot (4.8 m) launch
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
was available for utility or rescue operations.
Service
Albatross IV was commissionedShip commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
into service with the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries on May 9, 1963. When NOAA was established in 1970 and took over the Bureaus assets, she became part of the NOAA fleet.
Based at Woods Hole
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Woods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Albatross IV conducted fisheries and living marine resources research off the northeastern coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
On May 12, 1986, shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
workers were working in Albatross IVs marine sanitation device compartment when one of them accidentally set off the compartments fixed carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
firefighting system. Although the other workers escaped, one man, Kelly Prince, passed out in the compartment. He would have suffocated
Suffocation
Suffocation is the process of Asphyxia.Suffocation may also refer to:* Suffocation , an American death metal band* "Suffocation", a song on Morbid Angel's debut album, Altars of Madness...
, but three members of the ships crew -- NOAA Corps
NOAA Corps
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps is one of seven federal uniformed services of the United States, which operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , a scientific agency within the Department of Commerce...
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Dean Smehil, civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
third assistant engineer Daniel J. Parry, and the ships executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
-- put on Scott air packs and crawled into the very tight compartment. In moments, Smehil and Parry dragged the unconscious Prince from the compartment to safety, saving his life. For their heroism, Smehil and Parry received the 1986 Department of Commerce Gold Medal.
Albatros IV was decommissioned
Ship decommissioning
To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
on November 20, 2008. She now is inactive in NOAAs Atlantic Fleet.