University of Hawaii, R/V Kilo Moana Ship Operations 2024-2028

This provides funding for continued operations of R/V Kilo Moana, a research vessel owned by the US Navy and operated by University of Hawaii as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF). This general-purpose Ocean Class SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) research vessel's home port is Honolulu, Hawaii, making it the only ARF vessel based in the central North Pacific Ocean. This location provides proximity to research sites in the central and western Pacific, with transit costs more than a week less than ships based on the US west coast. A particular focus of research using R/V Kilo Moana is the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) site at Station ALOHA, an important site for study of biogeochemistry, oceanography, climate and plankton ecology and microbiology processes in the oligotrophic subtropical North Pacific Ocean (http://hahana.soest.hawaii.edu/hot/). The 30 + year HOT program stands as a landmark achievement in US ocean research, and Station ALOHA has been recognized as a "Milestones in Microbiology Site" by the American Society for Microbiology. Located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, R/V Kilo Moana provides access to the sea to any US researcher funded by NSF or another US federal agency. The vessel’s stable SWATH design provides access to researchers who would otherwise be unable to sail due to seasickness, as vessel motion is much less than on a standard monohull vessel. The platform provides direct access to deep ocean habitats, vibrant coral reefs, undersea volcanic terrains, and some of the most isolated ecosystems in the world. The geographic location provides access to research in the Pacific in less of a carbon footprint than other vessels in the research academic fleet. R/V Kilo Moana supports educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, funded both by federal agencies and the School of Ocean Earth Science and Technology. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.