Proposal Number: 1118495 Institution: Duke University PI: B. Corliss Co-PI: R. Smith
This proposal requests four Shipboard Scientific Support items for Duke University for use aboard the R/V CAPE HATTERAS; namely a new integrated navigation system, 20-foot storage containers, gravity core stand, and ?auto-render/recover? for an existing trawl winch. It also includes funding for a group purchase of engineering support to begin bringing vessels into compliance with emergent UNOLS Research Vessel Safety Standards (RVSS), Appendix B requirements. All items will either enhance safety or provide greatly improved support capabilities to science.
Broader Impact and Intellectual Merit: The PI addressed the Broader Impact and Intellectual Merit of the proposed equipment specifically for the R/V CAPE HATTERAS as well as the broader Fleet. The research projects supported have been individually peer-reviewed for scientific merit. During operations, the CAPE HATTERAS routinely exposes graduate and undergraduate students to seagoing oceanography. The vessel is also routinely open for tours for undergraduate, high school and middle school students as well as civic groups like Scout troops and museums. The PI and marine operations group have also investigated the use of bio-fuel on board the ship and will be hosting the NSF-funded ?Green Ship Workshop? in early 2012. As a regional vessel, the R/V CAPE HATTERAS was involved in the rapid scientific response to the Deep Water Horizon oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, and is scheduled to support nearly 70 NSF-funded days in CY 2011.
"The Research Vessel Safety Standards (RVSS) provide guidelines for the operation of oceanographic research vessels owned, operated or chartered by Members of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS), to assure that research at sea is conducted to the highest practicable standards of safety and prudence. The publication includes "APPENDIX B, UNOLS OVERBOARD HANDLING SYSTEMS DESIGN STANDARDS CRITERIA FOR THE DESIGN AND OPERATIONS OF OVERBOARD HANDLING SYSTEMS". The objective of this document is to provide a unified code of practice for the structural design and operating principles of overboard handling systems used on board vessels in the UNOLS Fleet. To assist in meeting the objective, this project developed procedures for compiling Maximum Capability Documents (MCDs) for defined overboard handling components and/or systems for a given range of load geometries. Using these procedures, MCDs were compiled for 6 frames, 1 hydrographic boom, and five winches. These systems are found on 5 UNOLS vessels, and now have precise load limit capability data to enhance safety and efficiency. MCD design methodology was developed and applied to the handling systems described above. With the MCD compilation procedure in place, costs for developing future MCDs are projected to be lower. " All future conversions, construction and/or procurement of oceanographic vessel and/or equipment will include a MCD.
