New research boat for university

Sebastian Kunsch, MD of the Barther Shipyard, told MJ that delivery of the 9.9m long Type Rugard 950 MP newbuild was planned for June. Only about 10% of the work at the small Baltic yard near Rostock is newbuilding, while the rest is repair and maintenance.

The 3.3m wide, as yet unnamed newbuild, is made of steel and draws 0.95m. It was designed by Ship Design Schneider in Rostock for shallow and coastal waters. Carrying ten people, it will displace about 8.59 tons and be driven by a Vetus/ Deutz DTA4.85 marine diesel, a new engine type with an after-cooler boosting output to 62kW.

The boat will be based at the University of Rostock’s Biological Station in Zingst and will replace the 9.9m research boat Gammarus, in service since 1979. The new ship’s main work will be hydrological, hydro-chemical and ecological research in coastal waters. Students will also train on board and local authorities will use the boat for local water quality research.

Completion of the new boat follows the return to service of Rostock University’s 17m research cutter Gadus after the first stage of a major refurbishment and modernisation at the REAN Shipyard in Sassnitz.

The work on that 60 year old wooden ship, operated by the University since 1983, was designed to bring it up to current building and safety standards and provide a new lease of life. There were no details of where or when the second stage refurbishment might take place.

Gadus and another 17m cutter, the fisheries research boat Clupea, were built between 1948 and 1952 as part of an east German cutter building programme and are now among the oldest still active research ships in the country.

By Tom Todd