The NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson. Credit: Han Weinrich
Satterthwaite, E. V., Field, J. C., Fassbender, A. J., Aceves-Medina, G., Bograd, S. J., Hazen, E. L., Patin, N. V., Gold, Z., Barbeau, K. A., Kinkade, D., Shepherd, A., Swalethorp, R., Thompson, A. R., Ruhl, H. A., and Semmens, B. (2025): The essential role of large research vessels in marine ecosystem observations and ocean sustainability. Liminology & Oceanography, 70(9), 2767-2792. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.70110
From the Arctic to the equator, large research vessels serve as mobile laboratories for understanding our oceans. These vessels are foundational to long-term marine ecosystem dynamics and crucial for achieving ocean sustainability across a wide range of disciplines, from fisheries and oceanography to marine biology, climate science, and environmental policy.
A recent review co-authored by PMEL scientists Zack Gold and Andrea Fassbender highlighted the critical role these vessels play in ocean research. PMEL utilizes large research vessels for diverse scientific objectives, including major interdisciplinary cruises such as EcoFOCI, Go-SHIP, and Ocean Acidification expeditions. They are also vital for deploying heavy ocean instrumentation like the Global Tropical Moored Buoy array and for calibrating and deploying autonomous underwater and surface vehicles. This reliance on a robust fleet is mirrored across all of NOAA, which uses its 15 research vessels to fulfill agency missions, gathering essential ocean observations that inform our weather, fisheries, and ecosystem science.
Even as autonomous technologies advance, large research vessels remain irreplaceable. In 2025 alone, NOAA OME participated in four major cruises, collecting over 450 eDNA samples and deploying multiple moored eDNA samplers. These interdisciplinary science cruises, which combined physical, chemical, and biological oceanography measurements, were only possible due to the unique capabilities of large research vessels to support such a broad spectrum of scientific objectives. As NOAA continues to lead in ocean innovation, maintaining a strong fleet of large research vessels ensures we can meet the growing demand for high-quality ocean data—vital for forecasting, fisheries management, and climate resilience.