US National Lab Takes Delivery of First Hybrid Research Vessel

RV Resilience, a new hybrid research vessel designed by Incat Crowther and built by Snow & Company in Seattle, has been delivered to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).

RV Resilience is the Department of Energy’s first hybrid electric-diesel research vessel. The 15-meter aluminum catamaran will help PNNL sustainably expand its research activities in the Sequim Bay region of Washington state.

RV Resilience’s 28 m2 main deck is equipped with an A-Frame, boom crane and movable davit in addition to a foldable swim platform. Designed to support the work of six scientists, the USCG Subchapter T vessel also features multiple research workstations and convertible sleeping arrangements for multiday assignments. Sustainability and operational flexibility have been enhanced via the vessel’s advanced parallel hybrid electric propulsion system.

While RV Resilience can travel at speeds of up to 23 knots on its two Volvo Penta D8-510 main diesel engines, it can quickly transition to a silent, all-electric mode capable of speeds of up to 7 knots. The vessel is equipped with 113 kWh of Spear Trident batteries, Danfoss electric motors and Twin Dosc gearboxes. This silent, all-electric mode will allow the PNNL researchers to conduct their activities with minimal noise pollution, allowing for enhanced research capabilities when taking sensitive acoustic measurements.

"This first-in-class electric hybrid vessel will greatly expand our R&D and testing capabilities and help us build new partnerships,” said Christian Meinig, Division Director for PNNL’s Coastal Sciences Division. “The large working deck and heavy lift capability will allow us to deploy and recover larger instruments and uncrewed vehicles to rapidly develop technology and deliver impact to our sponsors.”

 Grant Pecoraro, Incat Crowther’s US Managing Director, said, "RV Resilience is a truly bespoke vessel, designed specifically to the PNNL’s operational requirements and was a true collaboration between our team of digital shipbuilders, our partners at Snow & Company as well as the team at PNNL.”