The NIWA deep-water research vessel Tangaroa is the platform for the first Australia-New Zealand Antarctic Whale Research expedition.
Key features
Tangaroa is the only ice-strengthened research vessel in New Zealand and the base for NIWA's major offshore operations, covering vast tracts of ocean from the Kermadecs in the north to Antarctica in the south.
Built: Norway in 1991.
Total days at sea: about 5600.
Average days at sea per year: more than 300.
Length: 70 metres.
Weight: nearly 2500 tonnes.
Max time at sea on a single voyage: 60 days.
Max distance on a single voyage: 11,000 nautical miles.
Number of Antarctic voyages: 8 (this will be the 9th).
Accommodation: 44 total (22 single;11 double berths).
Tangaroa is well equipped for a wide range of environmental science, including fisheries stock assessment. Because some of New Zealand’s most important commercial fish species are found at great depths, it can trawl down to 2000 metres and accommodates a wide range of commercial and research trawl gear. Equipment for fisheries acoustic and marine geological research includes a deep water coring system (to 5000 m) and air compressors for seismic surveys.
A DP2 dynamic positioning system is being prepared for installation on Tangaroa. The system will be fully commissioned by 1 October 2010. This allows Tangaroa to stay in one place (within a few metres) or, if required, move unerringly along a path, improving its ability to deploy or operate precise scientific equipment, such as seabed samplers, soil and rocking testing gear, seabed drill rigs, and remotely operated vehicles.
What ‘special’ equipment will Tangaroa carry for this expedition?
Scientists on-board will use non-lethal research techniques such as biopsy sampling, satellite tracking, and acoustic surveys. Tangaroa will carrytwo rigid inflatable workboats from the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) so scientists can get close to the whales. Tangaroa’s own workboat will be used as a back-up and as a rescue craft if need be.
On all Antarctic voyages, Tangaroa carries a 20-foot purpose-built 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.
Where will the ship go?
On this voyage Tangaroa will not actually go into the pack ice, but will be working at the ice edge, heading from roughly 150ºW to 150ºE, and around the Balleny Islands, as this is where most of the whales are likely to be.
What will conditions be like?
Temperatures are typically between just above zero and minus 15 ºC, and then there’s the wind chill factor. A job that would normally take an hour to do on-board Tangaroa around New Zealand, can take three times as long in Antarctic conditions.
What is NIWA’s role?
NIWA is providing RV Tangaroa and crew led by Captain Andrew Leachman. The voyage is being funded by the Australian Antarctic Division, and by the NZ government through Ocean Survey 20/20.
Three NIWA science staff will be on-board:
- Dr Stephane Gauthier will look at the distribution and abundance of pelagic organisms, particularly krill, using the multi-frequency acoustic systems on Tangaroa. The aim will be to try to link acoustic backscatter dynamics to whale distribution and movements.
- Paul Sagar (on his 11th voyage to Antarctica) will be observing seabirds and assisting with stable isotope analyses.
- Dylan Amyes will be electronics technician and provide general technical/scientific support. He will also be assisting NHNZ documentary film-maker, Max Quinn, who is back for his second Tangaroa voyage to the ice.
About the Ship’s Master & crew
Andrew Leachman is the captain of Tangaroa for the Antarctic Whale Expedition. During his time at sea, he has voyaged from the Arctic to the Antarctic. He joined the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1973. For 17 years he was the captain of the James Cook, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries research vessel. Before this, he was with the New Zealand Shipping Company. Andrew first brought Tangaroa to New Zealand from Norway for the Ministry of Fisheries in 1991. It will be his seventh trip to Antarctica as ship’s master.
The crew for this voyage comprises 15 NIWA Vessels staff (including Andrew), and one NZ Navy officer, who was invited by NIWA to join the crew for this expedition. This crew are Antarctic veterans, having made up to 8 previous trips to Antarctica in Tangaroa, each trip averaging between 40-50 days.
What does the name Tangaroa mean?
Tangaroa is the Māori god of the sea.
From Te Ara, the NZ on-line encyclopedia:
“According to Māori creation traditions the god of the sea and progenitor of fish is Tangaroa, the son of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatūānuku (the earth mother). Tangaroa’s son Punga was the father of Ikatere and Tūtewehiwehi. Ikatere went to the sea, where he and his children became fish. Tūtewehiwehi journeyed inland, and he and his offspring became reptiles.
In these traditions Tūmatauenga, the god of war, fought with Tangaroa. Their enmity explains why humans, the descendants of Tūmatauenga, go fishing: they are continuing the war against Tangaroa’s progeny, the fish.”
Useful links
Full list of Tangaroa’s specifications
Beehive media release 'NZ, Australia to run non-lethal whaling project'