RV Tubitak Marmara
Infrastructure Profile
Infrastructure Provider
Location/Home Port
Istanbul, Turkey
Organisation & Address
Tubitak Marmara Research Centre,
Baris mah. Dr. Zeki acar cad. No: 1,
41470, Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey
Normal Area of Operation
The vessel has no limitation for international cruises in Black Sea and Mediterranean
30N – 48N ; 22E – 43E
Maximum Number of Days Available
15 days
Overview
Length
41.2 m
Breadth
9.55 m
Draught
3.4 m
Gross Tonnage
495 T
Dynamic Positioning (DP) Rating
DP1
Service Speed
12 knots
Maximum Number of Scientific Berths Available
9 (+2 Optional)
3 VIP
4 Double Rooms
Scientific and Technical Specifications
Laboratory Facilities
Wet Lab
Dry Lab
Auto Analyzer
Biology Lab Incubation Lab (Biological Storage Room)
Temperature Controlled Room
Computer Lab
CTD/Plankton sampling
SeaBird SBE 25Plus/ SBE 43 DO & SBE 27 pH Sensor
SBE 32C 12 x Sampling bottles
Multi-Beam(s)/Sub Bottom profiling
Multi-Beam(s)/ Sub Bottom profiling ELAC Nautik Sea Beam Multi Beam Sonar
(1050D 50/180 kHz 1500 m): Hydrographic Survey
Edgetech DSS 2000 SubBottom Profiler (2-16 kHz CHIRP )
(Towed @ 800 m): Seismic Surveys
Edgetech DSS 2000 SSS (100 / 400 kHz)
Edgetech 4200 MP SSS (300 / 900 kHz)
(Towed @ 800m): Seafloor Imagery Surveys
Fisheries Echo Sounders/Sonar
ELAC NautikHydrostar Single Beam Sonar (HS 4900 3000m): Seafloor mapping
(Fisheries Capability: N/A, Seabed Tracking Only)
USBL
USBL Acoustic Positioning System 42/65 kHz
Pole Mounted Acoustic Modem / Releaser / Diver Tracking
Coring/Sampling Capabilities
6 m 10” OD Gravity Coring, 500 kg Adjustable Weight, 60 kN Capability Sediment Sampling;(2000 m 16 mm OD 12 Strand Synthetic Rope)
Box Corer Sediment Sampling, 12 kN Capability BoxCore Sampling; (1000 m 10 mm OD Steel Wire Rope)
Van Veen Grab, 12 kN Capability Seabed Sediment Sampling;(1000 m 10 mm OD Steel Wire Rope)
Winches
Multipurpose Oceanographic Winches
- CormacS20 (2350m 11.4mm OD Coax Data); CTD / SSS / SBP
- CormacQ5 (3000m 8.2mm OD Coax Data); CTD / SSS / SBP
- CormacQ5 (2000m 10mm OD Steel Wire);
- DTC 3000 (1000m 10mm OD Steel Wire), Double Drum Instrument Winch
Heavy Duty Hydraulic Winch
- DTC 10000 (100m 22mm OD Steel Wire); 90 kN Handling
Gravity Coring / Sediment Sampling Winch
- DTC 7001 (2000m 16 mm OD Synthetic Rope); Deep Water Coring
Communications
Unlimited Internet Access GPRS Based Coverage Areas
LTE Network Available
Y / Thuraya Marine Satellite Communication
L BAND / THURAYA MARINE SATELLITE SYSTEM
404 kbps / 444 kbps (Up / Down)
Communication Capacity Upgradable on Request
Suitable Surveys
Suitable for: (list the type of surveys) Marine Monitoring; Water Sampling, Onboard Analyses,
Oceanographic Surveys (Physical & Chemical), ADCP, CTD, SVP etc.
2D Seismic & Shallow Water Geophysical Surveys
DP Operations, Boat Assisted Diving Operations etc.
Handling of Science Packages;Buoys/OBSs Deployment & Recovery,
Geophysical Surveys (Sub-Bottom Profiler, Side Scan Sonar)
Archeological Surveys & Scientific Diving Campaigns
Onsite Measurements @ Coastal & Regional Areas of Interest
Scientific Limitations
Fishery Science, Trawling, Fishing Nets
Vessel capability to support ROV deployment
ROV (1000 m rated Observation Class ROV with Manipulator Arm; TMS 250 m Tether; @ Sea Trials Recently Ended @ 850 m)
Mini-ROV (100 m rated Observation ROV)
Support offered to AQUARIUS users
The list of the lab equipments on board the R/V TUBITAK Marmara can be summarized as the following:
- Scalar Auto Analyzer: Measurement of nutrients in sea water (TP, TN, DIP, DIN, DSi)
- SeaBird CTD: Conductivity, Temperature, Depth, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, ORP, Fluorescence, PAR
- Multi Water Sampler: 6L x 12 sampling bottles
- Spectrophotometer: Measurement of chlorophyll
- 10-AU Field Fluorometer: Measurement of chlorophyll
- Benchtop Hanna pH meter: Measurement of pH/ORP
- Nets and Grab samplers for sampling phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrozoobenthos and microplastics
Infrastructure Availability and Contact Details
Year 2025
Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea
September / December (Q4)
İstanbul Haydarpasa (Home Port), İzmir Port,
Bodrum Port, Marmaris Port
Year 2026
Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea
September / December (Q4)
İstanbul Haydarpasa (Home Port), İzmir Port,
Bodrum Port, Marmaris Port
Year 2027
Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea
September / December (Q4)
İstanbul Haydarpasa (Home Port), İzmir Port,
Bodrum Port, Marmaris Port
Contact email for applicants to discuss the initial feasibility of their work while they prepare their application
Please direct all queries to the AQUARIUS Coordination Office: aquarius[at]marine.ie
Certification and Clearance Requirements
Medical Certification Requirements
None
Are additional medical checks required?
Requests Depending on Cruise Planning. (Onboard Medical Tests applied in 2021 during Pandemic period as an example).
Survival training certification required for joining vessel
None
Additional certification required
Familiarization is applied in the beginning of the cruise even being in Harbour
Diplomatic clearance or other permits required and any relevant information about the application process
Under the United Nations Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) MSR/Diplomatic clearance is required for research cruises taking place in other EEZs (national jurisdictions other than the vessel’s own). Application forms should be submitted via Diplomatic Channels (Government Foreign Departments/Ministries) 6-7 months prior to sailing by Principle Investigators in conjunction with the vessel operator. RV Vessel Operations department will generally administer the application process but please consult with the operators in advance.
The vessel is owned and being operated by TUBITAK (The Scientific & Technological Organisation of Turkiye) Marmara Research Center, which is under Management of TUBITAK for Ministry of Industry Science & Technology. International Science Cruises is under permission of government institutions (Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment). In the planning phase, project plan, technical activities, proposed routes & stations clearly sent for permissions. The vessel operator applies for the plan & documentation with regarding data about the cruise.
Any additional clearances required for area or type of activity
Each Science Cruise is under permission of government institutions (Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture) depending on project technical activity. National & International conventions and agreements apply for research activity content, data collection, sampling etc. based on laws & directives & procedures.