69 SEPTEMBER 2026 MEMBER NEWS A ll American Marine (AAM) recently delivered a 78ʹ aluminum research vessel commissioned by the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). Following successful sea trials at AAM’s Bellingham, Wash., facility, R/V Osprey arrived in Florida and traveled up the coast to her home port of Wilmington, N.C. There, the vessel will support UNCW’s faculty, students, and research partners con- ducting scientific and educational missions along the Mid-Atlantic, U.S. East Coast, and offshore waters. The twin-engine catamaran was built and inspected to U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter T standards. The vessel is equipped to conduct a broad range of missions from oceanographic surveys and biological studies to hands-on ed- ucational programs for students and charters of outside agencies. The vessel’s hydrofoil-assisted hull reduces drag, improves fuel efficiency, and delivers passenger comfort across a range of sea conditions. Twin Scania Di16-082M EPA Tier 3 engines—each rated at 800 mhp at 2100 rpm—power the vessel to a cruising speed of 22 knots, with a fuel-efficient survey operation speed of 1.5 knots and a fuel capacity of 1,500 gallons for extended endurance. Onboard scientific equipment in- cludes a Kongsberg ADCP electronics suite and a fixed WASSP multibeam system, enabling comprehensive oceanographic and biological data collection. The vessel features dedicat- ed wet and dry lab spaces, live-aboard quarters for up to 10 personnel, day- trip capacity for 20 passengers, and full infrastructure to support dive operations and the deployment and retrieval of oceanographic equipment, such as buoys and AUVs. The vessel will support a wide range of scientific missions over its projected 30-year service life, including ocean- ographic surveys, biological studies, and educational outreach. Researchers will be able to conduct multibeam side scan, magnetometer, and sub-bottom profiler surveys, as well as deploying oceanographic instrumentation and moorings. The vessel capabilities will facilitate marine mammal monitoring, deploying of trawl nets, and conduct- ing water quality and sediment sam- pling. Hands-on educational programs will be able to be conducted with up to 20 participants on day trips. The UNCW vessel is the latest in a series of specialized research plat- forms constructed by AAM over the past five years. The vessel was verified across all systems and components through rigorous sea trials before de- parting Bellingham. MEMBER NEWS New Research Vessel Delivered by All American Marine PHOTO: ALL AMERICAN MARINE The recently delivered R/V Osprey will support research along Mid-Atlantic, U.S. East Coast, and offshore waters.
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