R/V Osprey

The 78-foot research vessel Osprey (R/V Osprey) represents UNCW’s commitment to being North Carolina’s coastal university through advancing coastal and marine research, education and stewardship. Designed to support research and education in coastal waters, the R/V Osprey provides researchers and students with a state-of-the-art, versatile and stable, platform for collecting the data that drives discovery.

As part of the Center for Marine Science's research fleet, the Osprey strengthens UNCW's ability to respond to emerging coastal challenges while supporting innovative research and education across a wide range of disciplines. This state-of-the-art platform expands opportunities for faculty, students and research partners by increasing our research window from Delaware to Florida and 150nm offshore. It will also allow shore-based personnel to participate in at-sea operations.

Built by All American Marine in Bellingham, Washington, the vessel meets U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter T standards ensuring the highest levels of safety and efficiency in diverse maritime environments. The vessel is an indispensable tool in helping UNCW generate knowledge and promote sustainability that is essential to the state of North Carolina and beyond.

The Osprey is built for research and training the next generation of scientists. The versatile platform supports a wide range of scientific missions, including:

• Field-based student experiential learning and training
• Marine and coastal estuarine monitoring
• Mapping the geology and biology of the near-shore regions
• Fisheries and habitat assessments
• Oceanographic instrument deployment and recovery, including CORMP buoys
• Water quality sampling
• SCUBA platform for multiple dive offshore work
• Stage for multiday 24-hour research at sea

The vessel’s design permits researchers to adapt to a variety of projects, providing dependable access to nearshore environments that make North Carolina an exceptional living laboratory.

Custom-designed catamaran hull with hydrofoil that allows for increased stability and maneuverability in choppy coastal waters. The hull design, combined with the energy -rated engines and six-foot draft, provide fuel-efficient performance on a stable platform.

Advanced navigation system to fully integrate with instruments and scientists during a cruise. It includes Radar, Single Beam Sonar, a Multibeam Sonar, AIS, VHF, Hailer, and a FLIR thermal and low-light camera system.

Berthing spaces provide up to 10 crew and researchers with quiet, comfortable rest areas during multiday sea operations, essential for safety and effective operational and scientific work.

Wet lab space is a climate-controlled environment for processing freshly collected samples, with running seawater, freshwater, refrigeration, deep-freeze storage, chemical storage and microscopes.

Dry lab space is used for computing and analyzing data collected during cruises. It allows active monitoring of built-in and overboard systems such as Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) to study the water column, a WASP Multibeam sonar system, analytical processes running on scientific computer servers, Wi-Fi, monitors and connection points for geophysical survey equipment.

27-foot wide aft deck designed to maximize space for scientific operations. A standardized deck bolt pattern allows equipment to be moved and easily secured to the deck.

Two scientific winches serve essential purposes: one can lower instruments to 1,000 meters with real-time communication for capturing data and operating tools like CTD water-sampling Rosettes. The other uses a high-strength synthetic line for tasks such as deploying buoys or using sample nets to collect plankton and benthic creatures from the Continental Shelf edge.

5,000-pound-rated A-frame enables secure lowering, recovery, and towing of scientific equipment from the vessel's stern. Equipped with multiple blocks, it handles various cables and lines coming from the scientific winches.

Articulated deck crane enables loading and unloading at facilities without their own equipment and moves equipment on deck as needed.

Dive platform for enabling at-sea scientific diving under a variety of conditions.

Rates are reviewed annually.
Rates are subject to change without notice.

• Half-day charter rate (6 hours or less) - $2,500 + Fuel
• Full day charter (12 hours) - $3,000 + Fuel
• 18-hour charter - $3,500 + Fuel
• 24hr charter - $4,000 + Fuel
• Lay day rate (includes weather and other non-operational days when away from home port & any non-operational day caused by scientific party) - $400
• Service rate for providing a third crewmember during charters less than 13 hours (standard rate includes captain and mate/engineer) - $250/per person/per day
• Service fee for a crewmember working on a holiday or weekend day (as requested by the PI) - $250/per person/per day