Sail the seas and ratings. Praise the name of the Polish shipyard worker and scientist. I give you the name OCEANOGRAF – with these words dr Barbara Szczurek, the godmother of the ship of the University of Gdańsk, performed the baptism ceremony. The catamaran built for the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography of the University of Gdańsk will be one of the most modern research vessels flying the Polish flag. Equipped with specialized equipment for interdisciplinary research of the Baltic Sea environment, it will be used primarily to conduct scientific research and educate students.
The ship was built by the consortium Stocznia Remontowa “NAUTA” S.A. and CRIST S.A., under the supervision of the Polish Register of Shipping.
The baptism ceremony with the participation of invited guests took place at the “NAUTA” shipyard. The godmother was Dr. Barbara Szczurek, a graduate of the University of Gdańsk.
Rector of the University of Gdańsk, prof. Bernard Lammek emphasized that the modern ship of the University of Gdańsk is a strengthening of the university’s research potential, and at the same time consistent implementation of the idea in mari via tua. – We are following the sea route and trying to strengthen the maritime potential of our region. It is important to us that the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography is and will remain associated with Gdynia, he added.
Prof. Waldemar Surosz, Dean of the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography of the University of Gdańsk, pointed out that OCEANOGRAF is a dream come true for many generations of oceanographers educated at the University of Gdańsk. – This modern unit will allow to improve the quality of research, which in turn will open up new opportunities for the university, including readiness to perform monitoring tasks for the private sector. In turn, Prof. Natalia Gorska, Director of the UG’s Institute of Oceanography, added that the day of the ship’s baptism for the University of Gdańsk is a great joy not only for the scientists of the Faculty, but for all oceanographers.
Sławomir Latos, President of the Management Board of the Nauta Shipyard, indicated that cooperation with the academic community is important from the perspective of the development of the shipyard, and the construction of a new unit for the University of Gdańsk was a great challenge.
The ceremony was also attended by Dariusz Drelich, the Pomeranian Voivode, who read a congratulatory letter from the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda, Deputy Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation Paweł Brzezicki and Mayor of Gdynia Wojciech Szczurek.
The new unit of the University of Gdańsk was consecrated by the Metropolitan Archbishop Sławoj Leszek Głódź.
There was no shortage of thanks to everyone who supported the construction of the ship. Ministry of Science and Higher Education, which allocated funds for its construction, local government and provincial authorities, and above all, for the shipyard workers who put a lot of effort and heart into the construction of the ship for the University of Gdańsk, and for the academic community of the University of Gdańsk, especially the employees of the Institute of Oceanography and central administration, who they strongly supported this project from the beginning.
Ship information
The catamaran built for the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography of the University of Gdańsk will be one of the most modern research units flying the Polish flag. Equipped with specialized devices for interdisciplinary research of the Baltic Sea environment, it will be used primarily to conduct scientific research and educate students.
Due to the extensive scope of research that will be conducted from the unit (biological, chemical, physical and geological research of the sea), it will combine various research and teaching functions. The ship uses a double-hull structure that minimizes the angle of heel, which is especially important when conducting research at sea, because any unintended movement of the ship can disrupt the measurements. In addition to specialized laboratories inside the ship and a multimedia seminar room for students, there is also a place on board to observe marine mammals and birds.
The ship is 49.5 m long and 14 m wide and can reach a speed of 12 knots. The side height of the ship is 3.80 m. It can take a maximum of 20 people on board. The vessel’s operating area will be the Baltic Sea, but cruises to other areas are not excluded. The range at economic speed is 2,500 NM, and the autonomy of navigation is 21 days. The vessel’s home port is Gdynia. The ship is also adapted to fishing. For this purpose, devices enabling fishing were installed on the open working aft deck, and trawling and net winches were mounted in the hull. A fish warehouse equipped with an ice generator is also planned.
With such extensive on-board, fishing and research equipment on the vessel, a high social standard will also be ensured, which is rare on such vessels. The ship will have 9 double cabins, 1 single cabin for the scientific director of the cruise, a captain’s cabin, a kitchen, a mess room, pantries, a laundry with a drying room and a provision storeroom. All living cabins will be equipped with sanitary blocks and monitors connected to a computer network.
The Institute of Oceanography of the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography of the University of Gdańsk conducts interdisciplinary research in the coastal zone of the shelf seas. These studies are mainly concentrated in the area of the southern Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Gdańsk, as well as in the polar regions. Thanks to the conducted research, the institute collects and develops the knowledge necessary to support the sustainable use and protection of the marine environment. Currently, 1,454 students and PhD students are educated at the Faculty of Geography and Oceanography of the University of Gdańsk.
UG press release, photo: Krzysztof Mystkowski/KFP/UG
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