Hydrographic survey boat 73catamaraninboardaluminum

All American Marine (AAM) together with Geodynamics, an NV5 company, are proud to announce the delivery of a cutting-edge research and hydrographic survey vessel that will service the growing offshore wind market as well as accomplish many other scientific survey missions. The R/V Shackleford is a 73’ x 26.7’ semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. This vessel will serve an integral role in NV5-Geodynamics’ mission of providing turnkey / “single pass” offshore surveys and has been specifically customized to serve the burgeoning offshore wind sector on the US Eastern Seaboard. R/V Shackleford leverages the fundamental and proven design elements of the Duke University Marine Lab’s R/V Shearwater and Blue Tide Puerto Rico’s R/V Blue Manta. Both vessels were built by All American Marine and have proven to be highly successful in their near-coastal research environments.

Named after Shackleford Banks, the southernmost barrier island in the Cape Lookout National Seashore chain and a nod to the region’s rich maritime history, the R/V Shackleford was constructed to USCG Subchapter T standards. The speed and unique stability of this twin-engine hull design is fundamental for Geodynamics’ continuing expansion of their specialized nearshore / mid-shelf hydrographic and geophysical survey operations. To reduce survey mobilization costs, the R/V Shackleford is outfitted with fully dedicated and redundant survey systems, including the Kongsberg EM 2040 MKII Multibeam Echosounder that is deployed through the vessel’s moonpool via a retractable strut.