Catamaran construction has started in Vigo

The catamaran will be one of the key observing platforms at SOCIB, together with the gliders, HF Radar, buoys, ARGO profilers, surface drifters, etc. She is a modern and fast catamaran with 24 m length, 9 m beam and 1,75 m draught, that will sail at a cruising speed of 22 knots, allowing rapid transit times between the different Islands and survey sites. She will have two labs (wet and dry, with an area of 27 m2) and will be able to accommodate up to 16 persons for missions of duration between one and seven days. She was designed to be efficient for coastal ocean operations, responding to scientific, technological and societal needs. She will be well equipped with winches, A frame, space for a two 10’ container, as well as continuous surface seawater analyzer (thermosalinograph, Seabird SB21) and Turner fluorometer, Rosette CTD SeaBird 911, MultiNet MOCNESS Plankton net, PortaSal salinometer and Helix10 water purification system, SIMRAD hydrographic sounder 12 kHz and hull mounted RDI Teledyne Doppler profiler 150 kHz. Currently, the hull mold has been constructed and is being laminated as can be seen from the enclosed pictures. This is an important platform for the Balearic Islands that will bring new and cost effective opportunities to both scientists/engineers and the different key oceanography related institutions in the islands, IMEDEA, COB IEO, UIB, etc.