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Jeshua Becker, Project Intern, MORI-IDD, and Dan Gibson, Project Manager, MORI-IDD, in front of the CTD Marine Mission Module.

The Modular Ocean Research Infrastructure (MORI) cruise set sail for the second summer of its initial development and demonstration phase with new equipment on board. This includes a unique new CTD launch and recovery system, designed and manufactured in Nova Scotia through a partnership with Hawboldt Industries of Chester, NS.

The suite of new equipment will support world class ocean research on board the industry workhorse vessel Atlantic Condor. Through the MORI project, it has been transformed into a temporary research vessel.

CTD Marine Mission Module, or CTD M3, is a custom CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) Launch and Recovery system for ocean research. Hawboldt drew on their leading technology in ocean science winches, marine cranes, and electro-hydraulic control systems to expertly outfit a standard shipping container to launch and recover the CTD-rosette. It can be installed quickly on the deck of various vessels, making more ships research-capable and creating new possibilities for Canadian scientists and vessel operators.

“Necessity can be the mother of innovation. We have the opportunity for the Canadian marine industry to become a world leader in developing the new, flexible ways to conduct research at sea that are needed not only by Canada but by many other countries worldwide. This tech is just a perfect example,” says Dr. Doug Wallace, Scientific Director of MEOPAR.

Hawboldt’s and MORI’s innovative solution creates new pathways for ocean researchers who are facing limited access to ship time for research. The issue recently got worse when the CCGS Hudson, used for decades of ocean research, was decommissioned earlier this year.

“We are excited to support critical ocean science for MEOPAR and their MORI project partners in summer and fall 2022, from Sable Island to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. MEOPAR’s network of scientists has helped Hawboldt to develop a compact, safe, and easy-to-use CTD and water sampling system that is unlike anything else in the world today,” says Dylan Wells, General Manager of Hawboldt Industries.

The flexible technology also heralds new promise for Canada as an ocean research leader and future-proofs investments in science infrastructure. For example, the CTD M3 will be transferable, without modification to the new, low-carbon-emitting vessels of the near future.

Here’s a full list of the new equipment on board for MORI’s cruise season:

  • MEOPAR purchased an industry-standard Sea-Bird CTD-rosette, which measures conductivity, temperature, and depth of seawater coupled with a collection of water sampling bottles.
  • CTD Marine Mission Module is a launch and recovery system for the CTD-rosette,  housed in a standard shipping container.
  • Stern Raised Deck Assembly allows MORI’s A-frame to be mounted flush with the stern rail and launch and recover different scientific packages  
  • Two new storage containers with flat racks, modified to hold scientific gear.