The new research vessel (RV) Wim Wolff for the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) was launched yesterday, 27 September, at Thecla Bodewes Shipyards in Harlingen. Once in service, the Wim Wolff will replace the RV Navicula.
The RV Wim Wolff is a new shipbuilding project for the Dutch national research fleet. The fleet is owned and operated by the National Marine Facilities (NMF), a department of the NIOZ. The NMF fleet consists of three vessels capable of conducting research from the shallow coastal waters out into the open ocean.
The RV Wim Wolff (37 metres) is intended to replace the Wadden Sea research vessel RV Navicula (25.5 metres), and with its shallow draught of 1 metre, it is specifically designed for overnight voyages for research in the Wadden Sea, the Zealand delta or the coastal zone. The vessel has been produced from aluminium.
Also read: New research vessel Wim Wolff almost ready for launch
With a permanent crew of four, the RV Wim Wolff will offer state-of-the-art facilities for a maximum of twelve passengers, and is equipped with onboard dry and wet lab facilities. The vessel also has room for two customised lab containers on the working deck. In the future, it will also be possible to give new research techniques that still need to be developed, such as the use of drones, a place on the ship.
Delivery is planned by the end of the fourth quarter of 2023.
Wim Wolff specifications
The specifications of the Wim Wolff are:
- Length overall: 36.95 metres
- Breadth moulded: 10.00 metres
- Depth moulded: 3.43 metres
- Draught design: 1.00 metre
- Draught maximum: 1.20 metres
- Gross tonnage approx.: 420
- Working deck area approx.: 125 m2
- Designer: Conoship
- Shipyard: Thecla Bodewes Shipyards
The Wim Wolff will use hydrotreated vegtable oil (HVO). In addition, noise emissions above as well as beneath the water surface will be exceptionally low and there are no emissions of waste or sewage water.
Picture: Still from the video above.
