Winch and CTD Packages for Turkish Research Vessels

MacArtney Underwater Technology and Sea-Bird Scientific have joined forces to deliver four complete oceanographic instrumentation solutions to research vessel operators in Turkey. A common denominator for the type of oceanographic package procured by these Turkish research clients is the combination of MacArtney CORMAC Q winches and Sea-Bird Scientific CTDs and water-sampling systems.

In addition to this, clients have opted to mix-and-match different instrumentation options including the range of optical and water quality sensors from WET Labs and Satlantic offered by Sea-Bird - to form turnkey CTD packages corresponding with their specific scientific measurement needs. In extension of this, all installation, commissioning and training, performed by MacArtney specialists, was also included in the packages.

The vessels

The first of four Turkish research vessels to take delivery of the MacArtney and Sea-Bird CTD solution was the R/V TUBITAK Marmara built by CEKSAN shipyard for the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey. The second and third Turkish research vessels to benefit from a turnkey MacArtney and Sea-Bird package was the R/V Seydi Ali Reis - a new scientific vessel operated by the Sinop University and the ARAMA 1 - a newly built vessel operated by the Mediterranean Sea and Fishery Institute based in Antalya. Finally, a fourth system procured by an undisclosed Turkish client, for installation on a new research vessel, has been delivered, with commissioning planned to take place during 2015.

Image: A MacArtney and Sea-Bird CTD package, complete with CORMAC Q winch and sampler carousel - seen onboard the ARAMA 1.