Summary
The RV Sonne (German for 'Sun') is a former German fishing trawler converted into a research vessel by Schichau Unterweser AG, doing mostly geoscience-related work for a variety of commercial and scientific clients. She was registered in Bremen.[1] In 2015 she was sold to the Argentine institute CONICET and was renamed ARA Austral (Q-21).[2][3] A new geoscientific research ship, also called RV Sonne, replaced her role in Germany that same year.[4]
 Sonne as ARA Austral
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Germany | |
| Name | RV Sonne |
| Operator | RF Forschungsschiffahrt GmbH |
| Port of registry |  Bremen, Germany |
| Route | Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean |
| Builder | Rickmers Werft, Bremerhaven, Germany |
| Laid down | August 1968 |
| Out of service | August 2014 |
| Renamed | 25 June 2015, to ARA Austral |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sold to Argentina |
 Argentina | |
| Name | Austral |
| Owner | CONICET |
| Operator | Argentine Navy |
| Cost | $54,192,935 ARS, €5,150,000 |
| Acquired | 12 December 2014 |
| In service | 7 November 2015 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Active as of 2018 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Research vessel |
| Displacement | 4,952 Tonnes |
| Length | 97.61 m (320 ft 3 in) |
| Beam | 14.20 m (46 ft 7 in) |
| Draught | 6.80 m (22 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | MaK 8 M 282 Diesel-electrical system |
| Speed | 12.0 knots (22.2 km/h) |
| Crew | 25 + 25 scientists |
Career edit
Rickmers Werft built Sonne in 1969 as a stern trawler and delivered her to Hochseefischerei Nordstern. From her homeport of Bremerhaven she operated mainly in the waters around Iceland, Greenland and Labrador.
Sonne was converted for use in a scientific exploration role by Schichau Unterweser AG in 1977 and by Rickmers Werft in 1978. In 1991 Schichau-Seebeck-Werft lengthened and modernized her.[1]
An order worth €124.4 million for a new geoscientific research ship was placed by the German federal ministry for education and research (90%) together with the coastal states Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bremen and Hamburg (10%) in May 2011. The new ship, also called Sonne, was built in Meyer Werft in Papenburg, and replaced the old Sonne in 2015.[4] Its launch took place on 5 April 2014.[5]
The last German cruise of RV Sonne took place in August 2014, after which she was retired from German scientific use.[citation needed]
Argentine service edit
She was sold to the Argentinian institute CONICET for € 5.150.000 and she arrived in the Argentine Navy naval base at Mar del Plata in February 2015. In June she was renamed ARA Austral (Q-21). Austral is operated by a naval crew, on behalf of the civilian agency CONICET.[2][3]
In popular culture edit
Sonne appears in Frank Schätzing's novel The Swarm in connection with methane measurements off the Norwegian coast.[6]
See also edit
- RV Sonne (2014) - the successor of RV Sonne
References edit
Notes edit
- ^ a b "RV Sonne - datasheet in English language" (PDF, 1.6 MB). www.rf-bremen.com. RF Forschungsschiffahrt GmbH. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ a b Periodico Tribuna - El Gobierno compró buque nuevo (y miles de litros de alcohol para celebrar)
- ^ a b Telam - La Presidenta encabezó la presentación del buque de investigación ARA Austral
- ^ a b Nestler, Ralf (31 May 2011). "Sonnenaufgang für die Meeresforscher" [Sunrise for marine researchers]. www.tagesspiegel.de (in German). Der Tagesspiegel. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ "Das neue Forschungsschiff "Sonne" verlässt das Baudock I der MEYER WERFT". Retrieved 2014-04-06.
- ^ Frank Schätzing. The Swarm. p. Chapter "April 22nd".
Bibliography edit
External links edit
- Sonne homepage (German)
- RF Forschungsschiffahrt (homepage of the shipping company operating the Sonne)
- Research Vessel Sonne Archived 2019-07-15 at the Wayback Machine (by German Marine Research Consortium)
- Cruise reports Sonne (list of all cruises with links to cruise reports and data)