NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler returns after 18-month mapping mission
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NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler returns after 18-month mapping mission

The NOAA ship Ferdinand R. Hassler and its 14-member crew have returned to their home port in New Castle, New Hampshire after completing a successful 18-month hydrographic survey mission. This advanced coastal mapping vessel conducted detailed seafloor surveys in the waters around Cape Fear, North Carolina, and the Elizabeth River, Virginia. The ship has now embarked on a new charting mission in the Gulf of Maine, contributing to NOAA’s efforts to update nautical charts, enhance maritime safety in US coastal waters and study the coral habitats in the Gulf of Maine.

During the deployment, the ship’s crew of NOAA Corps officers and professional mariners used advanced sonar technology to create high-resolution maps of the seafloor. These surveys are crucial for identifying potential hazards to navigation, such as shoals, wrecks and other obstructions. The ship’s mission also contributes to a better understanding of the marine environment, providing valuable data for fisheries habitat mapping, coastal management and scientific research.

Survey of the Coast

The 38-metre Ferdinand R. Hassler is a small waterplane area twin-hull (SWATH) vessel, designed for enhanced stability and sea-keeping. Its dry lab is configured for hydrographic data acquisition and processing, with flexibility to support other scientific tasks. The ship includes a dive locker with a compressor and filling station. It can also carry a 7.6-metre survey launch or a six-metre science van, further expanding its mission capabilities. A spacious aft deck, equipped with a stern A-frame and knuckle boom crane, ensures versatile operations.

Outfitted with the latest hydrographic technology, the twin-hull design allows the simultaneous operation of two multibeam sonar systems for efficient shallow-water data collection. A deployable 8.2-metre survey boat further supports nearshore mapping. Named after Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler, the vessel honours the visionary scientist who initiated the Survey of the Coast after President Jefferson’s 1807 legislation. Hassler served as the first superintendent of Coast Survey until his death in 1843.

With the ship’s return to New Castle, the crew will process and analyse the collected data. This information will be used to update NOAA’s nautical charts and other navigational products, ensuring safer and more efficient maritime operations for commercial shipping, fishing and recreational boating along the coast. The current project, mapping in the Gulf of Maine, will be followed by a project on the southern coast of Long Island with the goal of supporting the economy through improved navigational safety and habitat mapping.

The NOAA ship Ferdinand R. Hassler and its 14-member crew have returned to their homeport in New Castle, New Hampshire after completing a successful 18-month hydrographic survey mission. (Image courtesy: NOAA)
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