Mid-life upgrade of NOAA’s largest vessel nears completion at Bollinger Mississippi Repair

Currently nearing completion of a mid-life upgrade project at US Gulf Coast ship repairer Bollinger Mississippi Repair, in Pascagoula, is the largest vessel in the fleet of the US Government-owned NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) – the 3,180gt 1997-built research/survey vessel Ronald H. Brown.

Work on this Global-class vessel started in May 2023 and is scheduled for completion in August.

The major refit of the 27-year old vessel, which is homeported in Charleston, South Carolina, will add a further 15 years to its originally expected 30 years in-service life.

During the mid-life upgrade on Ronald H. Brown the ship’s original propulsion system has been largely replaced by a more environmentally friendly system utilising “green” diesel generators driving electric propulsion motors. At the same time, the vessel’s existing bow thruster and propulsion motors have been renewed, along with switchboards, control systems and alarms.

Additional ship systems on the upgrade list included the potable water plants, sewage treatment plant, uncontaminated seawater sampling system, HVAC systems, tank level indicators, navigational components, radar resources, onboard lighting, and ballast and exterior fuel tanks vent renewals.

Bollinger is also replacing much of the vessels piping, along with steel as identified by class society ABS.

Ronald H Brown is one of 15 vessels in the NOAA fleet, all of which are nearly 30 years old, so the agency is to embark over the coming years on at least another five mid-life upgrade projects.

Meanwhile, also undergoing repair at this Mississippi yard on June 12th were the following vessels:

• HOS Iron Horse – 8,988gt 2009-built multipurpose OSV, owned by US-operator Hornbeck Offshore Services
• Vanguard (ex Nanuq) – 1,046gt 1999-built fire-fighting tug. Previously owned by Crowley Marine Services Inc., San Francisco. New owners not known