RV Wecoma is a research vessel owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the College of Oceanic & Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University (OSU) as a member of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) fleet.[1] It is based in Newport in the U.S. state of Oregon near OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center. Launched in 1975, it has a maximum displacement of 1150LT.[2]
The 184.5feet ship is equipped with 1174ft2 of laboratory space to support up to 18 scientists at sea. It has a variety of equipment permanently installed, and optional additional equipment available on request, to measure and analyze navigational data; surface atmospheric conditions; sea surface temperature, salinity, fluorescence; bottom depth; dissolved oxygen titration; solar radiation; GPS time; bioacoustics; and geological sampling. The range of depths of submerged equipment varies from 3000mto6000mm (10,000feetto20,000feetm). The vessel can support diving operations, radioactive isotope materials, and explosive materials.[3]
Wecoma made her last operational cruise November 2011 and was scheduled to be retired with the interim replacement ship being the former Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution operated R/V Oceanus.[4]