The Nathaniel B. Palmer can accommodate 37 scientists, has a crew of 22, and is capable of 75-day missions.
In August 2001 Kongsberg Simrad, Inc. signed a contract with Edison Chouest Offshore, Galliano, LA for a 1° by 2° EM 120 multibeam echo sounder system worth approximately 2 million USD. This multibeam sonar will be installed on the Edison Chouest vessel R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer, a 94-meter research ship with icebreaking capability.
The vessel supports the U.S. National Science Foundation Antarctic Program through a prime contract with Raytheon Technical Services Company. The Nathaniel B. Palmer can accommodate 37 scientists, has a crew of 22, and is capable of 75-day missions. The EM 120 delivery will include Kongsberg Seatex`s Seapath 200 for precise measurement of heave, pitch, roll, heading and position, as well as Kongsberg Simrad`s latest single beam echo sounder the EA 600. Kongsberg Simrad will also supply a customized acoustic window solution to protect the transducer arrays from ice damage. Edison Chouest expects to install the system in mid-summer 2002. This EM 120 system replaces a SeaBEAM 2112 system that was installed in March 1992.
For further information, please contact: Tor Erik Sørensen, Sales and Marketing Director, Kongsberg Simrad Telephone 47 32 28 50 00, Fax 47 32 73 60 59