PNNL's New Research Vessel Launched

Seattle shipyard Snow & Company has launched a new 15-meter hybrid catamaran research vessel that will be operated by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

The plug-in hybrid research vessel, Resilience, will be delivered to the Department of Energy's (DOE) PNNL-Sequim marine research facility in 2024.

The Incat Crowther designed vessel, equipped with both standard diesel engines and electric motors, will be the first hybrid vessel in the DOE fleet. 

The vessel will be powered by an advanced parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system, consisting of two Volvo Penta D8-510 main engines, capable of producing 374 kW each, supplemented by two Danfoss Editron EM-PMI375-T200-2600 motor-generators. Power is stored using a Spear Trident battery system, allowing the vessel to operate quietly in a zero-emission electric state while engaged in a mixture of survey operational modes.

Resilience will be able to operate quietly on electric power at lower speeds, and cruise at 20 knots using diesel power.  hen operating in battery electric mode, the vessel will be nearly silent and without emissions. It will be less intrusive for studying fish and other wildlife and will also reduce air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions, PNNL said.

With funding from DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office, Resilience represents the next generation of blue economy technology and will enable future research and testing to support renewable power from the ocean.

Resilience will have laboratory space with multiple science stations, a large deck, an A-frame, and knuckle crane to help move research equipment.