In addition to transporting things like oil, autos and Wii video games (not enough of those, lately) around the world’s oceans, ships also make excellent weather data recording stations. To that end the yacht transport company
Dockwise Yacht Transport, in association with the
International SeaKeepers Society, is adding an automated weather data recorder to one of its ships, the 686-foot
Yacht Express.
From the press release:
Dockwise Yacht Transport (DYT), the world’s only float-on/float-off yacht transport service, is partnering with the International SeaKeepers Society to outfit DYT’s new super ship, the 686-foot (209 meter)
Yacht Express, with the organization’s innovative SeaKeeper 1000TM ocean and meteorological monitoring system. The SeaKeeper 1000 TM is a fully automated unit that samples, measures, records and then transmits its data to various scientific and public communities across the globe. It is deployed in some 50 locations, plotting a broad and continuous picture of the critical measures of ocean health, such as salinity, temperature, oxygen and pollution. Yacht Express is the largest vessel of its kind in the world and has been added to the DYT fleet this year to provide yacht owners with faster and more frequent delivery of their power and sailing yachts across the oceans.
“The ship’s regular routes will enable us to provide consistent, ongoing readings of ocean conditions over time,” said DYT President and CEO Clemens van der Werf, “which will offer better analysis opportunities compared to private yachts that are only in certain regions on different occasions.” Clemens added that those who typically use the DYT service have the same sentiments as the original group of luxury yacht owners who founded the SeaKeepers Society in 1998–they are concerned by the deteriorating health of the waters they have come to know and love. “This is our chance to give back something to our clients and the marine environment.”
The International SeaKeepers Society has grown over the years to include international leaders, governments, scientists and marine organizations. Endorsed by such organizations as the United Nations, the World Meteorological Organization, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, NOAA and the U.S. National Weather Service, it promotes knowledge and support of sensible, achievable marine protections and restoration initiatives.
Dockwise Yacht Transport (DYT), based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., specializes in the maritime transport of private luxury yachts and is a group company of Dockwise Transport B.V., the global leader in maritime transports of extremely large and heavy cargos. DYT’s ships utilize semi-submersible dock bays that allow yachts of any size to be safely floated on and off as cargo. Since its maiden voyage in 1987, the company has transported over 8,000 motor and sailing yachts to various destinations around the globe, offering owners and charterers safe and easy access to many of the world’s premier cruising grounds.