British Columbia’s University of Victoria has been collaborating with BMT Fleet Technology of Ottawa, Canada on the conversion the former Canadian Coast Guard vessel Tsekoa II into a hybrid research ship. Currently measuring 26.7m by 7.25m, the vessel is to be cut in half and a new section added that will increase the length to 33m. This will allow the fitting of a science lab and additional berths, while the ship’s existing propulsion machinery will be replaced by a hybrid-electric propulsion system. The vessel will be used by the University to investigate changing coastal ecosystems.
