NEW RESEARCH VESSEL R/V "KRONPRINS HAAKON" - MGG CONSIDERATIONS

INTRODUCTION

New research vessel for polar operations - RV 'Kronprins Haakon'.

«Kronprins Haakon» – new research vessel for polar operations (image source: Norsk Polarinstitutt). It is built to Polar Class "PC3" standard, which means: Year-round operation in second-year ice which may include multi-year ice inclusions. Refer to IACS document "Unified Requirements for Polar Ships" which standardizes global ice classification specifications.

New research vessel for polar operations - RV 'Kronprins Haakon'. Click to enlarge.

Vessel is built by shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia), Italy, which is part of the Fincantieri Group. She was launched 28 February 2017. Fittings continue at that site until delivery, which is scheduled by the end of 2017. Here is the yard's press release from the launching. Click to visit Norwegian Polar Institute (vessel owner) news on launch ceremony. Image source: Norw. Polar Institute.

The new vessel will be furnished with diesel-electric propulsion. Two aft azimuth thrusters each 5 MW should enable the vessel to break 1 m thick ice with a continuous speed of 5 knots, and keep 10 knots if ice thickness is reduced to 40 cm. It is approx 100 m long and 21 m wide. To put this into perspective, the German research vessel fleet flagship - R/V "Polarstern" - measures 118/25 m; twin variable pitch propellers each 7 MW permits her to break through ice 1.5 m thick at a speed of 5 knots.

This web page presents University of Bergen considerations related to MGG (Marine Geology & Geophysics) on the new research vessel "Kronprins Haakon". In this area we seek cooperation and coordination with University of Tromsø, Department of Geology who is also involved in a broad range of MGG activities.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS, GEO-UiB RELATED

Minutes of meetings related to GEO/UiB part of the delivery.

MARINE GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS (MGG) INSTRUMENTATION / EQUIPMENT

Item	Description	Sub-Item	Description
1	ELECTRICAL		El. cables, junction boxes, connector panels
2	SEISMIC SOURCES AND CONTROL SYSTEMS	2.1	Airgun controller (incl strobe light / warning beacon)
2	SEISMIC SOURCES AND CONTROL SYSTEMS	2.2	Sparker system
3	HIGH-PRESSURE (HP) AIR	3.1	Mobile compressor, inside container
		3.2	Pressure sensor (for airguns)
		3.3	HP air consumption - flow rate - pipe dimensions
		3.4	Location of 3 ea HP outlets (PDF, version 27 Jan 2016)
4	STREAMER SYSTEMS		Winch for 3 km streamer
5	GRAVITY		Gravity meter
6	MAGNETOMETER		Magnetometer, winch
7	INSTRUMENTATION CONTAINERS		20-foot seismic container
8	POWER REQUIREMENTS		Estimate of power consumption, seismic equipment in IKT-central, during 2D seismic data collection

Rules and standards

Precedence order of rules is normally (and the most restricting rule shall apply):

Selected class
SOLAS
International applicable regulations and codes
Flag state regulations

RULES AND STANDARDS
Issued by	Document	Description / High-lighted sections
DNV-GL	DNV - GL	DNV-GL (Det Norske Veritas - Germanischer Lloyd) rules and standards portal
DNV-GL	DNV service documents	Document portal.
GL	Rules for Classification and Construction -> Ship Technology -> Chapter 3 Electrical Installations	2014 edition
IEC	IEC 60092: Electrical Installations on Ships	International Electro Technical Commission (IEC) publication
standard.no	standard.no: Standards for the Shipbuilding Industry	-
IOGP	Marine Geophysical Safety Manual, 10th Edition (PDF, 9MByte)	International Association of Oil & Gas Producers - IOGP - issues HSE documents related to Geophysical exploration work: Page 59: When the airguns are being handled, the main switches for disabling/enabling, triggering and pressure control must be controlled and operated from the deck by the crew working on the guns, not from a remote location. Page 60: A flashing warning light and audible alarm will operate whenever any pressure is applied to the system when the guns are on deck. Such warning equipment should be provided at each entrance to the gun deck accompanied by a sign explaining the purpose of the warning.
IOGP	IOGP Technical expertise - Safety	-
IOGP	IOGP Report No. 432, December 2009: Managing HSE in a geophysical contract	-

ARCTIC SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION

Acquisition of seismic data in ice is difficult and challenging. We will here present how others are planning and executing such surveys.

ARCTIC SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION
INDUSTRY		ACADEMIA
Company	Article / Links	Institution	Book / Article / Links
ION Geophysical¹⁾ has acquired more the 40k km (and counting) seismic data in the Arctic	Shawn L. Rice, Tim Dudley, Curt Schneider, Ray J. Pierce, Brian Horn, Scott Cameron, Robert Bloor, and Zheng-Zheng (Joe) Zhou, ION Geophysical: Arctic seismic acquisition and processing, The Leading Edge May 2013, p. 546	ERICON (European Research Icebreaker Consortium)	ERICON SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE 2015-2030 Plans for Aurora Borealis modified, new version less costly called "Aurora Slim". Jörn Thiede presentation at "Polhavsmøtet 2013" re. "The Aurora Idea ..." (TO-DO: SORT OUT WHAT WE CAN USE)
	ION GEO E&P Solution - Arctic Exploration Ice No Longer Ices Seismic Acquisition Crews YouTube: Case Study in Challenging Environments: The Arctic Environment YouTube: Intelligent Acquisition - Arctic Solution	New UK polar research vessel	Science plan new polar vessel
CGG	Arctic Exploration	GEO-UIB	"Arctic Petroleum Geology", vil. 35, 2011, chapter 45: Kristoffersen: "Geophysical exploration of the Arctic Ocean: the physical environment, survey techniques and brief summary of knowledge."
Polarcus	Arctic exploration	-	Wilfried Jokat, Vadim Yu. Buravtsev and Heinz Miller: Marine Seismic Profiling in Ice Covered Regions, Polarforschung 64 (1): 9-17, 1994 (erschienen 1995)

¹⁾ Credits M.L. for mentioning.

Future topic sections:

Dual-ship operation
Icebreaker leading
Single-ship operation
Streamer deployment
Airgun deployment

DESIGN / ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS

If design, engineering or drawing assistance is required in relation to seismic electrical installations we could consider contacting these companies:

OTHER RESEARCH VESSELS

It is possible to ask managers of other research vessels for advise regarding seismic operations, equipment details, cable arrangements ...

OTHER ICE CLASS RESEARCH VESSELS
Vessel	Length / Beam [meter]	Year	Country / Institution	Design	Yard	Remarks
New UK polar vessel	125 / 24	(2019)	UK / NERC	Houlder Ltd naval architects	-	Vessel will replace both RRS "James Clark Ross" and RRS "Ernest Shackleton". Science case (PDF) GA (General Arrangement (PDF) Ice breaking capability: Up to 1m thick at 3 knots.
(ST-344)	100 / 18	(2017)	Peru / Peruvian Navy	Skipsteknisk	Freire (Spain)	Oceanographic Research Vessel with polar PC7 classification. Will operate in Peruvian waters as well as Antarctic region (supplying base "Machu Pichu").
RV Investigator	94 / 19	2014	Australia / CSIRO	Robert Allan Ltd. (CA) / Alion Science and Technology Corporation	Sembawang (Singapore)	Take an impressive virtual tour on board.
RRS Discovery	100 / 18	2013	UK / NERC	Skipsteknisk	Freire (Spain)	Ice class: Baltic IA New UK vessel to raise benchmark in oceanographic research, 18 Feb 2013, from www.motorship.com
RV Aurora Borealis	200 / 49			SCHIFFKO GmbH (now part of Wärtsila)	-	A new European research icebreaker with deep-sea drilling capability - web portal kept for reference - plans for new vessel still exits, in reduced scope - renamed Aurora Slim. Science Perspective 2015-2030
RRS James Cook	90 / 19	2006	UK / NERC	Skipsteknisk	Flekkefjord Maskinfabrikk AS (Norway)	-
RRS James Clark Ross	99 / 19	1990	UK / NERC	-	Swan Hunter Limited (UK)	-
RV Polarstern	118 / 25	1982	Germany / Alfred-Wegener Institut			Scheduled to be replaced by Polarstern II ca. 2017
RV Marcus G. Langseth	72 / 17	1991/2008	USA / Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University		Ulstein (Norway)	Ice class: Baltic IA

IRSO - International Research Ship Operators .. " is a group of research ship operators representing 49 organisations from 30 countries who manage over 100 of the world’s leading marine scientific research vessels. "
International Research Ship Operators Film 2014. RV Polarstern leads the pack, perhaps not a coincidence ...
University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) ".. is an organization of 62 academic institutions and National Laboratories involved in oceanographic research and joined for the purpose of coordinating oceanographic ships' schedules and research facilities."

O.M., 31 March 2016

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