Arctic research vessel MARVEL
Principal particulars:
Length:
29.46 meter
Between perpendiculars:
28.07 meter
Breadth moulded:
11.15 meter
Draught:
4.00 meter
Complements
6 pers
Gross tonnage
499 GT
Design philosophy of the Waddenferry Adler Rüm Hart
Backed by a grant from NWO and in cooperation with TU Delft, TNO, and NIOZ, we produced a feasibility study and basic design of the unique Arctic Research Vessel “MARVEL”. This Modular Arctic Research vessel is specially designed and equipped to investigate in the hardly accessible drift-ice zone and to safely withstand the dynamic pressure of drifting ice under harsh weather conditions. This strong and compact vessel will operate autonomously during four to five months throughout the polar winter night, with a limited crew of scientists, engineers, and navigators.
Labs, drones, and subs
MARVEL accommodates up to four (4) high cube 20 ft. containers that serve as research laboratories for various scientific disciplines. The principal methodes to access the environment above and under the ice cover are drones and the moonpool. Aerial and underwater drones are used for sampling and observations and to set out instruments for acoustical recordings. The moonpool offers access from the sheltered interior of the vessel to the underwater environment and the underside of the sea-ice. Scientists can lower a wide variety of sampling, measuring and observation instruments through the moonpool, as well as scuba divers and submersible robotics.
Icewhale Foundation
The Icewhale Foundation (IWF), based in The Netherlands, has initiated the realisation of the Icewhale Research Expeditions. For the first time ever, these expeditions will study the magnificent Icewhale during the dark Arctic winter in its natural habitat in the Fram Strait between Spitsbergen and Greenland.
The first aim of the Icewhale Foundation is to gather knowledge of the population dynamics and reproduction of the Icewhale and the associated impact of climate change and increasing transarctic shipping and exploration. The potential counter- vailing measure of a dynamic Marine Protected Area in the Arcticmarginal ice zone urgently needs to be assessed.
The secondary aim is to involve the public at large in the Icewhale Research Expeditions, with the ultimate goal to engage people in the challenges posed by the warming of the Arctic. The scientific and sustainable objectives of the expeditions in combination with large media attention and the direct involvement of the public constitute the sound and rational basis for private-public funding of the Icewhale Research Expeditions.
In the news
The following articles are all in Dutch
- Eenvandaag January 17th, 2021
- Trouw, January 4th 2021
- AD, May 5th 2019
- Gezinsbode, February 18th 2019