b'MEMBER NEWSMEMBER NEWS Keel-Laying Ceremony Held for Thoma-Sea Marine Oceanographic Research Ship T he National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors LLC (TMC) held a keel-laying ceremony in Houma, La., on June 15 for NOAAs newest oceanographic re-search ship, the 2446x51.25 Oceanographer.Oceanographer will support a wide variety of missions, ranging from general oceanographic research and exploration to marine life, climate and ocean ecosystem studies. These missions include shallow coastal, continental shelf and worldwide ocean survey and data collection.NOAA ships play a vital role in meeting the large and growing demand for oceanic data, criticalforprotectinglivesandlivelihoods,The initials of the ships sponsor, Linda Kwok Schatz, were welded onto a steel plate that will be incorporated into NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D.,the ship during construction. said in his remarks.Oceanographer is one of two ships being built forNOAAbyTMC.TosupportNOAAsgals. per year for each vessel, resulting in anBrian Schatz of Hawaii, were welded onto a goal of reducing the agencys carbon footprint,estimatedreductionofapproximately5,700steel plate that will be incorporated into the Oceanographeranditssistership,Discoverer,tons of carbon dioxide. ship during construction. Although Oceanog-will incorporate the latest technologies, includ- rapher does not have a traditional keel due to ing emissions controls and high-efficiency die- During the ceremony, the initials of the shipsmodernshipbuildingmethods,Wednesdays sel engines that have potential to save 15,000sponsor, Linda Kwok Schatz, wife of U.S. Sen.ceremonywasinkeepingwithcenturies-old maritime tradition that formally recognizes the start of a ships construction.Todayskeel-layingceremonymarksama-jorstepforwardbothintheconstruction Photo courtesy of Hy-Line Cruises ofOceanographerandtherevitalizationof NOAAs ship fleet, said Rear Adm. Nancy Hann, director of NOAAs Office of Marine andAviationOperations(OMAO)andthe NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps. Thisefficiencyisasuccessforthegovern-ment, Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, and our planet, providing the lowest impact to the environmentwhilestudyingtheoceanswe dependon,saidTMCManagingDirector Walter Thomassie. Oceanographer will continue the legacy of its Remotely Monitor & Track Your Assets namesake. The first ship named OceanographerPHOTOS COURTESY OF NOAAserved in the NOAA fleet from 1966 to 1996Monitor from Phones, Tablets, Computers and sailed throughout the world as it studiedDetect Anomalies Early all aspects of oceanography. The new Oceanog- Simplify Record Keeping and Invoicing rapher will be homeported in Honolulu and isFuel and Speed Reporting expected to join the NOAA fleet in 2025, withReceive Alert Notifications gplink.com| +1.252.504.5113 Discoverer to follow in 2026.FOGHORN 40'