Meriauras open deck cargo carriers ’Meri’ and ’Aura’ have been equipped with mobile, container based research facilities. The Finnish Environment Institute SYKE and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute SMHI are performing marine research with the vessels while the research vessel Aranda is under conversion. The contract consists of several expeditions, which requires efficient mobilization and demobilization of the SYKE’s research equipment on board. Meri and Aura’s dynamic position systems are utilized during sampling.
First expedition was carried out in September 2017. The client was satisfied with vessel’s performance. “The sampling was easy because the vessel is stable and not rolling even in hard weather conditions,” says Panu Hänninen, Senior Coordinator in SYKE. Sampling is done on the same research points monthly.
‘Meri’ and ‘Aura’ are both ice classed, enabling research also during the winter time. Additional accommodation capacity is required on board the vessel during the research expeditions, and therefore Meriaura installed mobile accommodation units on board the vessel.
