R.V. Coral Sea Gets New Set of Engines

Research
The R.V. Coral Sea may have been completed in 1973, but she's not exactly feeling her age just yet. In fact, these days the Humboldt State-owned research vessel is breaking in a brand-new set of new low-pollutant engines.

The North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District and its Carl Moyer Program played a major role in helping fund the engine replacement.

With grant funds from the Carl Moyer Program, totaling $141,700, HSU finally had enough to replace the original engines installed in 1973 and install new engines that are significantly less polluting. HSU used their own funds to match the grant from the Carl Moyer Program. The project was completed this August at Fred Wahl’s Marine Shipyard in Toledo, Oregon.

The R.V. Coral Sea is a modern oceanographic research vessel used to support educational programs at HSU for undergraduate and graduate students in the College of Natural Resources and Sciences.

Last year 490 students participated in teaching and research cruises in Humboldt Bay and offshore of Humboldt County. With these new engines, the R.V. Coral Sea is not only adding significantly less air pollution from its operations, it is safer and will be able to serve the community for another 20 years.

Captain Scott Martin and Chief Engineer Chris Seitz took the R.V. Coral Sea to Toledo, Oregon, to the Fred Wahl shipyard, and worked alongside the shipyard workers to ensure the completion of this engine replacement.

The R.V. Coral Sea’s home port is the Woodley Island Marina in Eureka, California.

For more information contact Scott Quackenbush, Director HSU Marine Lab, (707) 826-3685.