CEN - Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability
Centerfor Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN)
Open Ship Days: The New Research Ship SONNE Will Dock in Hamburg
11 November 2014, by Franziska Neigenfind
Photo: Thomas Badewien
The recently completed research vessel SONNE is currently docked in Hamburg, and visitors are welcome on board: on Friday, November 21 and Saturday, November 22...
The recently completed research vessel SONNE is currently docked in Hamburg, and visitors are welcome to go on board as part of the Open Ship Days: from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, November 21 and Saturday, November 22, they can enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the cutting-edge research ship and get a feel for what it’s like when researchers work and live on board for long-duration research cruises. The RV SONNE will be docked at Hamburg’s Überseebrücke.
Exhibit: an entire deck full of knowledge
In the “belly” of the ship, an extensive exhibit sheds light on ocean research, with a combination of actual research equipment, videos and interactive media. Questions visitors can explore include: What raw materials can be found in the ocean depths, and what kinds of fish live there? What material cycles are important under and above water? And how do the researchers manage to “calculate” ocean currents?
Work and everyday life on board the RV SONNE
The RV Sonne is designed to accommodate 40 researchers – in addition to its crew of 35 sailors. Spacious living quarters and lounges, together with a library and conference room, guarantee a comfortable stay on board, even on extended voyages.
Thanks to an array of modern deck equipment, the RV SONNE can effectively conduct research and collect measurements in the ocean; to do so, it relies on several deck cranes, an A-frame crane and ocean-research winches with up to 12,000 meters of cable. Researchers can examine collected samples in the ship’s laboratories and store them in specially designed refrigerated rooms.
Open Ship Days: Friday & Saturday, November 21 & 22 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Überseebrücke
The ship is scheduled to enter port at ca. 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 20