RV Tangaroa

RV Tangaroa is New Zealand’s only ice strengthened and dynamically positioned deep-water research vessel.

Equipped for ocean science, exploration and marine engineering, Tangaroa provides a sophisticated environmental survey and ocean science platform throughout the South Pacific, Southern Ocean and Antarctica.

Virtual tour

DP2 – dynamic position system

RV Tangaroa is the only New Zealand vessel equipped with Dynamic Positioning (DP2). It can remain stationary or track a precise path, even in the often challenging Southern Ocean environment. This makes it a valuable asset to help advance ocean science and exploration in New Zealand and around the world.

RV Tangaroa’s hull-mounted multibeam echosounder and sub-bottom profiler

RV Tangaroa’s multibeam echosounder can survey the seabed to hydrographic quality. The sub-bottom profiler can produce high-resolution imagery of the geology up to 200m below the seabed.

Watch this video to see how Tangaroa's multibeam system is used for bathymetric (seabed) mapping:

Further specifications and features

The vessel is equipped with a range of modern and sophisticated equipment enabling sampling and measurements to be taken from the sea surface, through the water column to the seabed and below. Download pdf of Tangaroa's specifications.

Key details

Name of vessel	RV Tangaroa
Owner	NIWA Vessel Management Limited
Flag	New Zealand
Call sign	ZMFR
Port of registry	Wellington
Classification	DNV – 1A1 (stern trawler/research vessel) + Ice 1C (light ice: ice floes up to 0.4 metres thick)
Year of construction	1991 – Mjellem & Karlsen Verft, Norway
Length	70.0 metres
Beam	13.8 metres
Draft	7.0 metres
Hull	Steel displacement, ice-strengthened
Gross tonnage	2291 tonnes
Nett tonnage	687 tonnes
Cruising speed	10.5 knots
Main engines	Wartsila Vasa 8R 32D 4023 bhp (2,999 kW)
Shaft generator	Leroy Sommer 900 kVA
Main generators	2 x Cummins QSK60 1800 kW (1,440 kWe)
Harbour generator	Cummins 400 kVA
Propeller	Wartsila Wichman PR 90/4
Bow thruster	Brunvoll 600 kW CPP
Stern thruster	Brunvoll 800 kW CPP
Retractable azimuth	Brunvoll 800 kW CPP
Freshwater capacity	40 cubic metres
Water maker	4-14 cubic metres per 24 hours (approx)
Fuel capacity	620 cubic metres
Accommodation	22 single berths with ensuite 9 double berths with ensuite
Endurance	60 days
Rescue boat	Rigid bottom inflatable SOLAS
Work boat	5.8 metre Naiad inflatable SOLAS
Medical room	Hospital with basic medical facilities

Electronic equipment

Electrical supply	50 and 60 Hz
Dynamic positioning (DP) system	Kongsberg KPOS DP21
Joystick controller	Kongsberg c-Joy
Acoustic positioning system	Kongsberg HiPAP 500 USBL with 4750 hull unit
Transponders	Kongsberg MST319N with float Kongsberg MST432N
Gyro	Sperry Marine Navigat X MK 1 (3)
Motion reference units	Kongsberg MRU-5 Kongsberg MRU-D Kongsberg MRU-2
GPS	Seastar 9200 DGPS Seastar 8200 DGPS Leica MX420 Furuno GP31 Furuno GP150
Wind sensors	Gill Windobservor II Ultrasonic (2)
Autopilot	Robertson AP 9 MK3
Electro-magnetic log	Sperry Marine Naviknot 350E
Net monitors	Scanmar system Furuno CN22 Kaijo Denki
Radars	Sperry Marine Bridgemaster ARPA 183 S band radar SAAB AIS system Koden MDC-1810P/1820 X band
Video plotter	Seaplot Pro
Graphic plotter	Epson Stylus 7800 A1 plotter
Echo sounders (ship)	Kongsberg Simrad EM 302 multi beam sounder, 30 kHz Kongsberg Simrad EA 600 hydrographic sounder, 12 and 120 kHz Kongsberg Simrad ES 60 fisheries sounder, 27 kHz Kaijo Denki KMC 2000, 24 and 200 kHz Simrad EK60 scientific sounder, 18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz
Weather fax	Furuno Fax. 30
Meteorological station	Automatic weather station

Communication facilities

Cell phone Fax	+64 27 442 7510 – Bridge, when in range of the Telecom NZ network +64 27 236 4966
Fleet 77 Voice Fax e-mail	008 707 646 32684 008 707 646 32685 [email protected]
Satcom system C e-mail	Thrane & Thrane 3020A [email protected]
Main radio	Furuno FS1562 – (GMDSS compliant)
VHF	Furuno FM8500 (x2) – (GMDSS compliant)
Watch receiver	Furuno AA50 – (GMDSS compliant)
Data system	Ifremer Techsas Underway Data Acquisition System & SDIV+ displays
Intercom system	Vingtor KCN 300

Winching equipment

Main trawl/Net winches

All the permanent winches are supplied by Rolls-Royce (Hydraulic Brattvagg).

2 Main trawl winches – 2,500 to 4,000 metres, 28mm 6x19 wire rope, self tensioning

2 Gilson winches

4 Sweepline winches

1 Outhaul winch

1 Codend winch

1 windlass

2 Net drum winches

Scientific winches

2 Acoustic winches	Each can hold 1,200 metres, 12.5 mm faired cable or 2,000 metres, 12.5 mm faired, slip ring (12 analogue plus 2 optical channels) fitted
Hydrology winch	2,000-3,000 metres 6 mm wide
Deep ocean winch	10,000 metres, 16 mm cable, or up to 28 mm wire diameter, maximum pull 23 tonnes
CTD winch	8,000 metres, 10.5 mm cable, slip ring (12 analogue plus 2 optical channels) fitted.
Camera winch	2,000-3,000 metres, 15.1 mm cable, slip ring (12 analogue plus 2 optical channels) fitted.

Lifting equipment

2 Seacranes	Stern: Seacrane, 2 tonnes; bow (Palfinger), 2 tonnes
1 Seacrane	Midships (Effer) 15 tonnes
A-Frame	Starboard mounted. Lifting capacity 10 tonnes. Deck clearance 6 metres, width between legs 3.2 metres
A-Frame	Port mounted. Lifting capacity 8.5 tonnes. Deck clearance 6 metres, width between legs 11.2 metres
J-Frame	Stern mounted. Lifting capacity 1.5 tonnes.

Hydrographic sounders

Single-beam echo sounders	Simrad EK 500 (Scientific): 12, 27, 38 and 120 kHz Simrad EA 500 (Hydrographic): 12 and 120 kHz
Multi-beam echo sounders	SIMRAD EM300: 30 kHz SIMRAD EM3002: 3000 kHz
Survey navigation systems	HydroPro and HydroMap
Motion compensation	TSS DMS TSS POSMV system
Sound velocity calibration	Expendable Bathythermographs (XBTs) Digibar DB-1100 AML SVplus sound velocity profiler

Automatic weather station

Tangaroa carries sensors for wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, relative humidity and air temperature and solar radiation, sea-surface temperature, while other sensors can be provided as requested.

Scientific work areas and laboratories

CTD enclosure

The CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) profilers are deployed through the mid-ships starboard A-frame. When it is recovered, the CTD profiler is then housed in the CTD-enclosure, which is connected to the hydro/dry-laboratory.

Wet laboratories

Tangaroa has excellent facilities for the sorting, preserving, processing, and storage of fish, plankton, and other biological material. These include several purpose-built wet laboratories. Two laboratories are on the starboard side on the main trawl deck; one commonly used as a CTD-laboratory or as a wet hydro-lab (5.7 m x 1.5 m), the other a plankton lab (4.7 m x 1.7 m). A sizable temperature-controlled wet laboratory (3.4 m x 3.0 m) is also provided on the starboard side of the trawl deck. All laboratories have workbenches, cold and warm running water, and ample space for storage of containers and equipment.

Fish sorting and processing

The trawl is emptied onto the deck and the fish stored through hatches in three receiving bins (total capacity: 75 m3), where they are kept fresh by a refrigerated salt water re-circulation system. Upon removal from a receiving bin, the fish is sorted semi-automatically by hand, with the selected specimen kept in smaller holding tanks for further scientific study. The remaining fish are processed in the fish factory, which can process up to 16 tonnes of fish per day. The freezer hold has a capacity of 350 tonnes of processed fish product.

Three laboratories are available on the fish-processing deck. The main wet laboratory (6.2 m x 7.1 m) contains large weighing and dissecting tables and is used for all major fish studies. Two more laboratories are available - one wet laboratory (4.2 m x 3.2 m) and one dry laboratory (3.5 x 3.2 m).

A medium-sized scientific freezer, adjacent to the main wet laboratory, is designed to remain at a constant temperature between –30 and +5°C.

Dry laboratories and computer areas/rooms

Tangaroa has five dedicated dry laboratories/computer areas. There is a large computer area (6.5 m x 4.1 m) on the bridge, from which voyage leaders, lead scientists, and support staff can direct all scientific operations and process the main data.

One hydro/dry laboratory (6.0 m x 3.2 m) is available on the trawl deck, while one terminal room (4.5 m x 4.5 m) is provided on the main deck. The main computer/EM300 control room (4.5 m x 5.7 m) and the electronics laboratory (4.5 m x 6.0 m) are housed below the main deck.

Dark room

The vessel’s dark room (5.5 m x 2.5 m) is situated on the trawl deck.

Radioisotope laboratory

The chemical preparation and storage laboratory can be used as a radioisotope laboratory (3.2 m x 2.8 m). It is located on the trawl deck, and is provided with benches and fume cabinet.

Temperature-controlled laboratory

The port wet lab, on the trawl deck, can maintain a controlled temperature between –5 °C and +5 °C (with an accuracy of plus/minus 1.0 °C).

Container laboratories

Tangaroa can carry up to three six metre container laboratories on the trawl deck.

Emergency survival container

Tangaroa is also fitted with a six metre emergency survival container. This container is designed to provide all basic survival facilities and food for the entire vessel’s complement, should the vessel experience a total ‘black-out’, i.e., no engine power.

Communal areas

Tangaroa has a range of communal spaces available, including:

• Mess room
• Three lounges with television and video facilities (one is a smoking lounge)
• Conference room (6.7 m x 3.2 m) that seats 14 personnel
• Ship’s office (3.1 m x 3.2 m)
• Fitness centre
• Japanese bath
• Sauna

Scientific sea water supply

The vessel has a built-in sea water pumping system with the capacity to pump approximately 30 m3 of water per hour for scientific purposes.

Additional equipment (mobilised as required)

Echosounders	Konsberg Simard EM 3002D multi beam sounder, 300 kHz Reson SeaBat
Positioning	Fugro SkyFix XP/HP systems, C-NAV
Side scan sonar	C-MAX CM2 side scan sonar
Subbottom profiler systems	3.5 kHz, Knudsen subbottom profiler Geo Acoustics profiler boomer
Multi-channel seismic system	Geometrics GeoEel 48 channel, active section length 600 metres
Compressors	Containerised Price SA35-W, 185 cuft/min, and containerised Reavell 5436 75.8 cuft/min @ 2,000 psi
Airguns array	GI-guns: 210 to 710 cuinch
Magnetometer	SeaSPY towed system
Gravity meter	LaCoste and Romberg
CTD-systems	SeaBird911, 24 and 12 bottles, many sensors
Seabed sampling	Rock dredges and bottom corers
Sonobuoy system	Sparton AN/SSQ-53
Sound velocity calibration	Expendable bathythermographs (XBTs) Digibar DB-1100 AML SVPlus sound velocity profiler
Tide measurements	Current, level, etc meters

The information provided on this webpage is for general informational purposes only and may be subject to change. For detailed specifications and additional information, please contact us directly.