Floating Green Lab

Furthering a story which we brought you over two months ago; UVic (the University of Victoria) is officially confirming the acquisition of the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel Tsekoa II. They are also announcing nearly $18 million in funding, from the Federal and Provincial Government for the ship, and an expansion of the Venus project - an underwater observatory in waters of Saanich inlet.

The majority of the funding is to refit the former Canadian Coast Guard vessel, which will dramatically change not only its shape, with a planned extension, but also its propulsion system to fuel cell centered power plant. The rendering of the new design also show Z drives, which, if accurate, would be logical, but quite a dramatic change from its current propulsion set up.

The re-powering of the Tsekoa II with a Hybrid propulsion system is not a just trendy shift towards "green", well ok, perhaps a little, but also to make the vessel quiet and optimal for scientific research.

The press release states the University hopes to have the vessel ready in 2011, but no specifics have yet been determined, nor what their ship's new name will be. In the mean time, the Tsekoa II has been relocated - towed, from the CCG Base at Pat Bay, to downtown Victoria, where she is berthed for refit preparations.

You can read the full press release from UVic and a "Backgrounder" on the project, as well as Tactical Marine's Press Release on the Tsekoa II. Here's the CBC's take on the announcement. Tactical even got some international press from Tradewinds, find the story here.

Pictures and graphics, courtesy of Tactical Marine.

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