Research Vessels
R/V Tommy Munro
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Captain - Joshua White
The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory's R/V Tommy Munro is a fully equipped oceanographic research vessel available for public and private charter. It has been widely used in a variety of research and engineering projects within the Gulf of Mexico. Onboard research activity has included trawling surveys, long-lining, deployment and recovery of arrays, structures, buoys and moorings, cable laying and sea/shore interface installation, submarine and diverless systems support, seismic research, camera platform and tracking assignments, oceanographic surveys and logistics, and diving support.
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The R/V Tommy Munro (USCG documentation number 634430) was constructed at Bender Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama and commissioned in 1981. It has International Load Line Certification issued by the US Coast Guard and the American Bureau of Shipping. Communication can be made directly to the ship either through its radio or radiotelephone call sign, WRB 2908. The Boat Master/Port Captain is Captain Joshua White.
- The R/V Tommy Munro is 97 feet, 6 inches in length, with a 25 ft. beam, 12 ft. depth, and 9 ft. draft. Displacement is 158 gross tons. It is capable of cruising at speeds in excess of 10 knots, has a range of 2,500 nautical miles, and can stay offshore for up to 20 days. Fuel efficiency is 50 gallons/hour @ 10 knots. Berthing for 10 scientists and 5 crew is available. All accommodations are air-conditioned. A 25 x 45 ft. work deck provides ample space.
- The R/V Tommy Munro is driven by twin GM V12-71 engines each capable of 300 hp @ 1,800 RPM. Electrical power is provided by 2 GM-4-71 diesel-powered generators supplying 50 kw (208/120V AC). Hydraulic power is obtained from one 15 GPM @ 2000 psi system and one 6 GPM @ 2,000 psi system. Tankage is available for 10,850 gallons of fuel oil, 250 gallons of lube oil, 10,918 gallons of ballast water, and 10,294 gallons of potable water.
Ample electronic equipment is available, including two Furuno Radars - a 5-kw and 10-kw, 48-nm radar, a DGPS Antenna with Cap'n navigation program, a Sperry Magnetic Compass, a Sperry 8T Auto-Pilot, a Ray-53-A VHF WRB 2908 Radiotelephone, a Hull Model 922 SSB WRB 2908 Radio, an Atlas Echograph 680 Recording Fathometer with Graphic Scale Expander, a Datamarine System 2300B Digital Depth Indicator, a Skipper Model CS115 Color Echo Sounder with 50-kHz Transducer, and a J-TEC Model VA-320 Vortex Anemometer with speed and direction indicators in the wheelhouse and dry laboratory for meteorological monitoring.
Deck equipment includes 3 trawl winches (all hydraulic port and starboard McElroy winches with level wind, 7,000 feet of 1/2-inch cable; hydrographic winch with level wind and 12-conductor slip rings; 13,000 feet of 1/4-inch cable or 6,000 feet of 3/8-inch cable), a McElroy hydraulic anchor winch, port and stern hydraulic A-Frames, a stern mounted hydraulically operated net reel with 4 x 5 foot spool with line pull capacity of 3 to 4 tons and drum torque at 1/2 drum @ 90,000 lbs., and (2)12-person Givens Buoy Life Rafts, SEAPIRB, Zodiac with outboard power and fire extinguishers for safety.
Charter Fees
Charters are $10,365 per day, including the cost of fuel. The request form and liability waiver are required to schedule vessels. For all external charters a purchase order is required three business days prior to departure. Fees are subject to change without notice.
For more information or to reserve the R/V Tommy Munro, please contact Tiffany McNeese at Tiffany.McNeeseFREEMississippi or 228.872.4277.
Important Notes
Charter Period - The charter period is based on calendar days running from 12:01 a.m. to midnight, 12:00 p.m. The charter period will begin at at 12:01 a.m. on the day the R/V Tommy Munro gets underway from the home pier at Pt. Cadet, Biloxi, Mississippi. It will end on return to the same pier. Any portion of a 24-hour period will be charged the full daily rate of $10,365 per day. Examples: one 8-, 16- or 22-hour trip will cost $10,365.
For charter periods longer than 24 hours, a new charter day will commence at 12:01 a.m. on the calendar day following departure and at 12:01 a.m. on each successive calendar day before return to the home pier.
Personnel - On all charters, the R/V Tommy Munro crew will operate all shipboard machinery. The chartering agency or firm must provide sufficient personnel for loading and unloading its equipment and supplies, off-loading specimen material and seawater, and for carrying out its planned sampling program, including the steaming and recovery of dredges, nets, and other special equipment.
Drug Policy - The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory is committed to the support of a drug-free workplace. In an effort to achieve and maintain a drug-free policy, zero tolerance is a condition of this request for charter. Simply stated, zero tolerance is a policy implemented by the U.S. Customs Service and the U.S. Coast Guard to comply with the President’s stand to hold all drug users accountable for their illegal actions. Therefore, a signed request for charter of the R/V Tommy Munro under these conditions is an agreement that neither you nor any member of charter party will introduce, possess, or use illegal drugs on board the R/V Tommy Munro.
Reservation Policy - If a "Request for Services" form is not completed and filed in the GCRL Vessel Operations office at least two weeks prior to any trip, the trip will not be confirmed and could be subject to changes in dates.
Vessel reservations that are not cancelled at least 30 days prior to the first day of the reserved time period will incur an unfulfilled reservation fee of 1/2 of the daily vessel rate (exclusive of fuel charges) for each day of the reservation period that goes unfulfilled. This fee does not apply to unfulfilled reservations that result from issues relating to Covid-19, inclement weather, mechanical issues with the vessel, or any other delay/cancellation deemed necessary by the vessel captain. The application of this fee to cruises that are conducted in part but return to port prior to the ending reservation date will be at the discretion of the vessel captain and the GCRL Vessel Operations Committee.
At-Sea Delays - The contracting entity will be responsible for payment for additional vessel charges that result from weather-induced interruptions or delays to cruise activities that extend the time period of the cruise; the normal vessel rate and associated fuel charges will apply in this situation. Weather-induced delays include but are not limited to interruptions to cruise activities as a result of inclement weather (e.g., unworkable sea or wind conditions) while at sea as well as vessel time required for returning to and/or from port due to unworkable weather conditions. If inclement weather causes the vessel to port away from home, the contracting entity will be charged $4,300 per calendar day until the vessel returns to sea.
Mobilization/Demobilization - Mobilization and demobilization fees will be charged at $1000 per day, with an additional $775 charge if a crane is used. Mobilization/demobilization includes activities associated with cruise preparation, such as loading of scientific gear and installation of equipment (where required); demobilization includes post-cruise activities such as unloading of gear and removal of equipment.
Owners’ Responsibilities - The Owners shall provide and pay for the insurance of the Vessel, except as otherwise provided, and for all provisions, cabin, deck, engine room and other necessary stores, excluding fuel; shall pay for wages, consular shipping and discharging fees of the vessel “non-scientific” crew and charges for port services pertaining to the vessel “non-scientific” crew; shall maintain the Vessel's class and keep her in a thoroughly efficient state in hull, machinery and equipment for and during the service, and have a full complement of officers and crew.