NOAA Holds Keel-Laying Ceremony for New Charting and Mapping Vessel
A keel-laying ceremony has been held for Surveyor, a new charting and mapping vessel being constructed for NOAA by Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, LLC., in Houma, Louisiana.
In 2023, NOAA announced two new charting and mapping vessels would be added to its fleet. Surveyor is expected to be completed in 2027 and Navigator in 2028. The ships will be used primarily for ocean mapping and nautical charting as part of NOAA’s mission to deliver tools and information to help mariners safely navigate the nation’s ports and harbors.
The name Surveyor points to one of NOAA’s key missions — to conduct surveys of coasts and waterways — and it’s also the name of two former ships. Like its former namesakes, the new Surveyor will be homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska.
Data collected by NOAA ships are integrated into nautical charts and other products that are essential to mariners in U.S. waters. Since 1807, originally as the U.S. Coast Survey, NOAA has kept people and commerce moving safely through U.S. waters. Today, the agency supports nearly $5.4 trillion in economic activity generated by U.S. ports each year, and ensuring safe, efficient navigation remains a central focus.
With the keel-laying ceremony marking a significant milestone in the construction of Surveyor, NOAA is one step closer to enhancing its capabilities in conducting vital surveys and charting activities. The addition of these new vessels to the fleet underscores NOAA’s commitment to supporting maritime safety and facilitating the smooth movement of goods and people through U.S. waters.
As Surveyor and Navigator are completed and deployed in the coming years, NOAA will be better equipped to fulfill its mandate of providing accurate and up-to-date navigational information to mariners. These vessels represent a continuation of NOAA’s long-standing tradition of service to the maritime community, ensuring that U.S. waters remain safe and accessible for all who rely on them.
Stay tuned for updates on the progress of Surveyor and Navigator as they near completion and prepare to join NOAA’s fleet of essential charting and mapping vessels. The future of ocean mapping and nautical charting looks brighter with these new additions on the horizon.