The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) is set to boost its activities with a new Ulstein SX134 seismic and oceanographic research ship. Ulstein had previously designed and built the 64m survey vessel Tamhae II for KIGAM, which was delivered from the Ulstein Verft facility in 1996.
The forthcoming, 92m x 21m vessel will instead be built in South Korea by Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co, and will undertake tasks including seismic high-resolution seafloor mapping, seafloor surveys and sediment sampling. The ship will accommodate up to 30 researchers/scientists and 20 members of crew, and its equipment will include: a 3D/4D seismic 8-streamer system; a high-res 2D/3D seismic P-cable system; a multicomponent OBN acquisition system; a marine gravity and magnetic system; and multibeam/single-beam echosounders.
Ulstein adds: “The vessel incorporates a deep sea chirp sub-bottom profiler, an acoustic doppler current profiler [ADCP] and a high-profile underwater positioning system.”
The newbuild will also incorporate Ulstein’s X-BOW hullform, designed to limit slamming and vibrations, for increased onboard comfort, while simultaneously reducing speed loss.
