2 New USGS Great Lakes Research Vessels to be Built

On June 25, 2010 the USGS awarded an $8.2 million contract to the Great Lakes Towing Company (Cleveland, Ohio) for the construction of two large research vessels.  This new vessel construction is being funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and has created jobs for 20 additional employees at the shipyard.  These much needed new research vessels will replace the oldest vessels in the USGS fleet with much more capable and efficient vessels, with lower maintenance costs. One vessel will be home ported at the USGS Lake Erie Biological Station in Sandusky, Ohio  while the other will find a home at the USGS Lake Ontario Biological Station in Oswego, New York. Construction of both vessels should be completed in September 2011.  In addition, Great Lakes Towing will be installing a new anchor system on the deepwater research vessel Kiyi stationed in Ashland, Wisconsin.  For more information see "Vessel Building and Rehab" on the USGS Great Lakes Science Center Website.