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NOAA Hosts GOM Hiring Events for Research Ship Jobs

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations will hold two hiring events in the Gulf Coast region to recruit professional mariners to work aboard NOAA’s ocean research ships. The first event will be in Mobile, Alabama on Jan. 23 and the second is in New Orleans on Jan. 25.NOAA operates a fleet of 15 hydrographic survey, oceanographic research and fisheries survey vessels. NOAA ships operate in the U.S. and around the world.
Hiring Event in Norfolk for NOAA Research Ship Jobs

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations will hold a hiring event in Norfolk, Virginia to recruit professional mariners to work aboard NOAA’s ocean research ships. The event will be held on Nov. 15 at the NOAA Marine Operations Center - Atlantic. NOAA operates a fleet of 15 hydrographic survey, oceanographic research and fisheries survey vessels. NOAA ships operate in the U.S. and around the world. The ships are run by a combination of NOAA commissioned officers and civilian professional mariners.
Bollinger Shipyards to Refit NOAA's Largest Ship "Ronald H. Brown"

Bollinger Shipyards has begun fabrication at its newly acquired Mississippi repair facility, Bollinger Mississippi Repair, in preparation to refit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”) Ship Ronald H. Brown, the largest ship in NOAA’s fleet. The overhaul is expected to extend the vessel's life, first launched in 1996, by an additional 15 years. Work is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2024.“Here on the Gulf Coast…
New Whale Protections to Impact Shipping Lanes off California

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted a U.S. proposal to increase protections for endangered blue, fin and humpback whales off the California coast. The proposal takes effect this summer and expands areas that vessels should avoid to give whales more space, and extends vessel traffic lanes west of, in and around NOAA’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.The Channel Islands…
What's in a Foot? December 31, 2022 Marks End of U.S. Survey Foot

NOAA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (or NIST) are starting the new year off on the “right” foot.On New Year’s Eve, the two federal agency partners will officially retire the use of one of two measuring feet, to reduce surveying errors that can cost money.Discontinuing the use of the U.S. survey foot and embracing of its replacement — the international foot — are also part of…
AAM to Build Research Vessel for NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Washington-baed shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has won a contract to build a research vessel for the NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS). GRNMS is located 19 miles off Sapelo Island, Georgia, and is one of 14 marine sanctuaries and monuments that make up the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System. AAM will build the research vessel at its Bellingham Bay facility. The vessel is a 52’…
Keel-Laying for NOAA's Discoverer at Thoma-Sea

NOAA, the U.S. Navy and Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors (TMC), LLC., recently held a keel-laying ceremony today in Houma, La., for Discoverer, a new oceanographic research vessel being built for NOAA.The keel-laying ceremony marks the beginning of a ship’s construction. Second Gentleman Douglas C. Emhoff was named the ship’s sponsor. In keeping with maritime tradition, the initials of the ship’s sponsor…
NOAA Issues RFP for Design and Construction of Ocean Survey Ships

NOAA is seeking proposals from U.S. shipbuilders for the design and construction of new ships for the agency. The new vessels will primarily support NOAA’s coastal, continental shelf and deep ocean data collection requirements.The solicitation, which opens today and closes on August 16, 2022, is for a firm, fixed-price contract for two vessels, with options for NOAA to purchase two additional vessels of the same design.
Pick your Poison: NOAA Study Finds Less Air Pollution brings more Hurricanes

A new study from NOAA finds that reducing air pollution in North America & Europe brings more hurricanes; increased pollution in Asia reduces tropical cyclonesA NOAA study published in the journal Science Advances about four decades of tropical cyclones reveals the surprising result that reducing particulate air pollution in Europe and North America has contributed to an increase in the number of tropical…
Rear Admiral Hann Confirmed to NOAA Leadership Post

The U.S. Senate confirmed on Tuesday evening President Biden’s nomination of NOAA Rear Admiral Nancy Hann to lead the NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) and NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps), one of the nation’s eight uniformed services.“From flying into hurricanes to crewing remote explorations to the deepest depths of the ocean, the NOAA Corps drives NOAA’s science forward,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.
NOAA helps ID prime Aquaculture Sites in GOM, off California

NOAA released two Atlases compiling the best available science to inform the identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in the Gulf of Mexico and Southern California. NOAA previously identified these regions for their potential to host sustainable commercial aquaculture development in the United States. Areas in the Atlases will have characteristics expected to support multiple types of aquaculture industries including finfish…
World First: Saildrone Captures Video from inside a Cat 4 Hurricane

Saildrone Inc. and NOAA have released the first video footage gathered by an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) from inside a major hurricane barreling across the Atlantic Ocean.The Saildrone Explorer SD 1045 was directed into the midst of Hurricane Sam, a category 4 hurricane. SD1045 is battling 50 ft. waves and winds of more than 120 mph to collect scientific data, while giving a new view of one of earth’s most destructive forces.Equipped with a specially designed “hurricane wing…
NOAA Continues Transition to Electronic Navigational Charts

NOAA is continuing with the sunset plan for paper and raster nautical charts in August and September. A set of 15 charts covering the eastern half of the North Slope of Alaska will be moved into last edition status on August 5, 2021 and will be canceled on February 2, 2022. Another set of 14 charts covering the western half of the North Slope will be moved into last edition status on September 2, 2021 and be cancelled on March 2…
Thoma-Sea Marine Wins Deal to Build Pair of NOAA Oceanographic Ships

NOAA’s effort to recapitalize its aging fleet of research ships took a major step forward today with the U.S. Navy’s award of a $178,082,877 contract to Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors LLC, Houma, La., for the detailed design and construction of two new oceanographic ships.NOAA is acquiring the vessels through an agreement with the Naval Sea Systems Command, a leader in building, providing and procuring large research ships for the nation's research fleet.The first ship…
Reiss Named Director of NOAA's Ocean Prediction Center

NOAA has selected Arthur John “A.J.” Reiss, as the director of NOAA’s Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) in College Park, Maryland. OPC provides marine forecasts and critical decision support services for mariners, ensuring the safety of lives and vessels at sea by alerting to hazards like hurricane-force winds and high seas.“The nation’s maritime shipping industry is a $2.1 trillion economic activity for the U.S.…
NOAA to Order New Research Ships in 2020

The U.S.' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said it expects to award contracts for the construction of two new oceanographic ships by the end of the year. Once in service, the new large oceangoing, multi-mission research vessels will support missions ranging from general oceanographic research and exploration to marine life, climate and ocean ecosystem studies, NOAA said.“When completed…
US Funds $30 million for Coastal Flood Protection

The U.S. government's oceans and waterways agency will provide $30 million to improve coastal resilience, officials said, aiming to reduce the impacts of worsening storms, flooding and rising seas in nearly half of U.S. states.Grants through the program are designed to restore or expand coastal wetlands, dunes, reefs, mangroves and barrier islands that are key to coastal protection, said the National…
Hurricane Dorian Builds, Aims for Bahamas, Florida

Hurricane Dorian took aim at the Bahamas and the Florida coast on Thursday, spurred on by warm Atlantic waters as it threatens to strengthen into a dangerous Category 3 storm.Dorian earlier sideswiped the Caribbean without doing major damage but is expected to strengthen and slam the Bahamas and the southeastern United States with rain, strong winds and life-threatening surf over the next few days, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.U.S.
July: Earth's Hottest Month Ever Recorded

According to the latest monthly climate report from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), July 2019 was hottest month on record for the planet and Polar sea ice melted to record lows.Much of the planet sweltered in unprecedented heat in July, as temperatures soared to new heights in the hottest month ever recorded. The record warmth also shrank Arctic and Antarctic sea ice…
NOAA: $2.7M for Marine Trash Studies

NOAA announced a total of $2.7 million in grants supporting 14 projects to address the harmful effects of marine debris on wildlife, navigation safety, economic activity, and ecosystem health. With the addition of non-federal matching contributions, the total investment in these marine debris projects is more than $5.2 million.The grants, selected competitively from 82 community-based marine debris removal and research proposals received this year, are spread across 10 U.S.