Laboratories and equipment on the research vessel Dana

Laboratories

The laboratories on Dana include:

• a wet fish laboratory with transportation belt, fume hood and high-quality heave-compensated scales
• a dry fish laboratory with stereo microscopes, PCs and freezer
• two chemistry laboratories with fume hoods, a wide range of analysis instruments, oven, refrigerator, freezer, computers etc.
• a dedicated 14C lab.

Computer facilities

Computer facilities are fully updated. A 100 Mbps network connects all scientific computers and instruments on the ship (cabins have 10 Mbps connections). Data are secured and stored online after being buffered on two 180 GB hard drives. Laboratory PCs are continuously renewed.

Communications systems

Communications systems include GMDSS station (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System), Inmarsat B equipment for satellite e-mail, fax & telephony (world wide except polar regions), Inmarsat C satellite equipment for telex, fax & e-mail (world wide except polar regions), Iridium satellite equipment for telephony (world wide), HF radio communication equipment for telex & telephony (world wide), MF & VHF radio communication equipment for telephony in coastal areas (medium range); GSM mobile telephone is available for use in coastal areas (short range). A fast radio data link for transferring data to the land-based data network is available at Hirtshals harbour.

Navigation equipment

All navigation equipment is state of the art and is constantly updated. For both security and scientific reasons, all vital systems are duplicated. The navigation equipment currently includes: 4 radars (2 x X band radars + 2 x Y band radars), all fitted with anti-collision systems (ARPA), 2 GPS satellite position receivers, 2 gyro compasses fitted with slave compasses + autopilot, Poscon maneuvering system—controls variable pitch propeller and side thrusters, AIS equipment, ECDIS equipment (Transas Navi Sailor electronic sea chart), 2 fishery plotters (Shipmate & Sodena), echo sounder 50 kHz, fax weather chart receiver, Doppler log, electromagnetic log, scanning type sonar, Navtex, MF radio direction finder-visual type, VHF radio direction finder.

Scientific equipment

The scientific equipment includes a Simrad EK60 18, 38, and 120 kHz split beam echo sounder with BI60 integrator software, a dual system SeaBird SBE911 CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth) sonde equipped with state-of-the-art sensors for fluorescence, oxygen, PAR and distance to seabed.

If special facilities are required, a container may be positioned on the aft deck, except for surveys involving trawl fishery.