Name Kilo Moana Identification Hawaii HA 0532 XS Construction started 9 February 2001 Length 57 m | Laid down 9 February 2001 Status in active service Launched 17 November 2001 Builders Atlantic Marine, Mobile | |
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Owner Office of Naval Research Acquired by the U.S. Navy, 3 September 2003; by the University of Hawaii on 3 September 2003 | ||
RV Kilo Moana (T-AGOR-26) is a small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) oceanographic research ship owned by the US Navy and operated by the University of Hawaii as a part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) fleet. She was designed to operate in coastal and blue water areas. The unique SWATH hull-form provides a comfortable, stable platform in high sea conditions.
In January 2012 Kilo Moana began taking on water from a baseball sized hole in her hull. The crew of the vessel along with the United States Coast Guard were able to temporarily plug the hole and pump out the flooded spaces. She returned to her homeport of Honolulu safely and entered emergency drydock to repair the damaged hull.
Construction
Kilo Moana was built by Atlantic Marine Jacksonville, Florida, for the Office of Naval Research. She was laid down on 9 February 2001 and launched on 17 November 2001. On 3 September 2003 Kilo Moana was delivered to the Navy as a Kilo Moana-class oceanographic research ship and leased to the University of Hawaii on the same day.