GOMESA Application Details

Internal Project Number: 271343
1. Title of Project: USM Research and Teaching Vessel
2. Location of Project: Jackson County, MS
3. Requesting Organization: The University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
4a. Name: Kelly Darnell
4b. Position
4c. Phone Number: 228-818-8804
4d. Fax Number
4e. Address Line 1: 703 East Beach Drive
4e. Address Line 2
4e. City, State Zip: Ocean Springs, Mississippi
4f. Email: kelly.darnell@usm.edu
5. FundingRequested: $15,000,000
Awarded Amount:
6. Other State or Federal Funding Sources: Yes
7a. Amount of Additional Funds: $2,500,000
7b. Source of Additional Funds: Funds have been requested through the 2025 Gulf Coast Restoration Funding Call
8. Total Project Funds Amount: $17,500,000
9. Project Description/Overview: The USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory is requesting funds for design and fabrication of a new vessel for research and teaching to replace an aging and soon-to-be-retired vessel that provides critical access and capacity for scientists, students, federal agencies, non-profits, and industry partners in Mississippi and the northern Gulf. USM is a leader in ocean science and engineering with USM’s GCRL providing scientific support to the state of Mississippi and the broader Gulf region and academic programming since 1948. As Mississippi’s designated marine laboratory, GCRL has maintained the unique advantage of owning and operating a fleet of research vessels that provide critical resources for research, education, and outreach efforts. The use of large vessels at USM enhances and expands the high-quality opportunities the University can provide as a leading marine science institution, while delivering valuable benefits to our community and associated economy. An essential vessel in USM’s fleet is the 97-foot R/V Tommy Munro, which was built in 1981. For more than 40 years it has filled a critical role for research and teaching. This vessel has capacity for and has been widely used to conduct 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; camera platform and tracking assignments and oceanographic surveys and logistics. This vessel has also been rigorously certified as one of the few non-federal vessels authorized to collect critical fishery-independent data for the federal/state Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP). Data collected through SEAMAP are used to support stock assessments for 30+ marine species, to inform Gulf Council Plans and State fishery openings and closures as determined by SEAMAP partner agencies (e.g. MDMR), and for TIG Restoration Plans. After 40+ years of service, the R/V Tommy Munro is at the end of its usable life, as maintenance costs are becoming prohibitive for its continued use. The outdated design and technologies inherent to a vessel its age are also impacting its usability and ability to support and train students and the workforce. The vessel requested here will enable USM and GCRL to maintain its unique capacity to provide critical resources to benefit students, researchers, the public, and Mississippi’s economy.
10. Project Goals/Objectives: The overarching goal of this project is to design and fabricate a new vessel for research and teaching to replace an aging and soon-to-be-retired vessel that provides critical access and capacity for scientists, students, federal agencies, non-profits, and industry partners in Mississippi and the northern Gulf. This vessel is essential for collecting critical fishery-independent data that informs the Reef Fish Federal Management Plan which manages 31 species including red snapper, grouper, and amberjack; to inform Gulf Council Plans; State fishery openings and closures as determined by SEAMAP partner agencies including MDMR; for mapping essential fish habitat; and developing management and restoration plans such as the Open Ocean TIG’s Restoration Plan 4 (RP4) as well as many others. In support of the goal, the objectives of this project are to: (1) Design a modern vessel to support critical research and teaching needs using sustainable and durable materials with low emissions and affordable maintenance and operational costs to ensure broad use for coastal protection, conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure affected by coastal wetland losses, and (2) Fabricate the new vessel prior to retirement of the current vessel to maintain continuous support of critical research and teaching needs that require water access and modern technology capabilities
11. Which of the following authorized uses set forth in the GOMESA Act does this project fall under?

(A) Projects and activities for the purpose of coastal protection, including conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetlands losses: Yes: The proposed project will design and fabricate a vessel to provide water access for research and education focused on coastal protection, conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetland losses. Entities that use the current vessel and have need for a continued use include federal and state agencies and university and private sector companies whose data collection activities support understanding coastal and offshore environments and are linked to conservation, restoration, management, and/or protection of resources. Data collected through this new vessel will be used for informing Federal and Regional Management and Restoration Plans through critical efforts such as SEAMAP.

(B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.: Yes: The vessel will be available to identify damage to fish, wildlife, and/or natural resources in the event of a disturbance or disaster (e.g. an oil spill, opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway). Through the identification of damages, mitigation plans can be developed and executed. Additionally, data collected aboard this vessel through programs such as SEAMAP are used as baseline data in the event of a disturbance or disaster, which is necessary for determining impacts and as a precursor to mitigation efforts, as baseline conditions are used to develop mitigation targets.

(C) Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or conservation management plan.: Yes: This project will design and fabricate a vessel to replace the R/V Tommy Munro as one of the only non-Federal vessels capable of conducting groundfish trawl sampling for SEAMAP. Data from SEAMAP are used to develop stock assessments for species such as shrimp and groundfish as well as the Reef Fish Federal Management Plan which manages 31 species including red snapper, grouper, and amberjack; to inform Gulf Council Plans; State fishery openings and closures as determined by SEAMAP partner agencies including Mississippi Department of Marine Resources; for mapping essential fish habitat; and developing management and restoration plans such as the Open Ocean TIG’s Restoration Plan 4 (RP4) as well as many others.

(D) Mitigation of the impact of Outer Continental Shelf activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects.

12. Project Timetable/Milestones: The following timeline and milestones have been developed to ensure major deliverables are accomplished. ‘Year 0’ represents current fiscal year 2026 in which USM is in the process of planning to identify expanded research and teaching needs for the vessel and identify the associated vessel specifications. These dates are defined on a quarterly basis to begin July 1, 2026 and be completed June 30, 2030. Milestone 1.0: Vessel Needs Planning: USM investment to identify expanded research and teaching needs for the vessel and associated vessel specifications – Year 0 Milestone 2.0: Select Shipyard for Architecture, Design, and Construction – Quarter 1 Milestone 3.0: Architecture and Design of Research and Teaching Vessel – Quarter 2 through Quarter 6 Milestone 3.1: Basic structure, hull design, and propulsion system determined Milestone 3.2: Customization for scientific and educational needs to include accommodations, labs spaces, and deck equipment Milestone 3.3: Final review and approval from USM and IHL Milestone 3.4: Final review and approval from the United States Coast Guard Milestone 4.0: Fabrication of the Research and Teaching Vessel – Quarter 6 through Quarter 16 Milestone 4.1: Hull fabrication and erection Milestone 4.2: Outfitting of heavy machinery and ship systems Milestone 4.3: Launch vessel Milestone 4.4: Installation and testing of deck equipment and instrumentation Milestone 4.5: Sea trials with USM and shipyard to ensure the vessel is performing as expected and with optimum outputs Milestone 4.6: Sea trials with United States Coast Guard to ensure safety and operational compliance Milestone 4.7: Official ship designation and approval to sail granted by United States Coast Guard Milestone 4.8: Delivery of the research and teaching vessel to the USM GCRL Milestone 5: Research, Teaching, and Industry Partner Development – Quarter 2 through Quarter 15 Milestone 6: Marketing and Communications – Quarter 1 through Quarter 16 Milestone 7: Launch of Vessel Services – Quarter 16 Milestone 8: Quarterly Reporting – Quarter 1 through Quarter 16 (30 days after the end of every quarter)
13. Project Timing: Deferred/Long-term
14. Current status of architectural/engineering plans & specifications for this project (if applicable):: Other Pre-planning stage Funds Budgeted

15. In what way does this project meet the goals and objectives of the Department of Marine Resources, which includes enhancing, protecting and conserving the marine interest of Mississippi for present and future generations?: The design and fabrication of a new, modern vessel will enable GCRL to expand its unique capacity to provide critical resources for research, education, and outreach efforts to benefit students, researchers, the public, and Mississippi’s economy with access for projects that enhance, protect, and conserve Mississippi's marine resources. This project will increase the present and long-term competitive advantages of the region and directly enhance research and innovative technologies and impact present and future generations in Mississippi through experiential educational opportunities. The new, modern research and teaching vessel will enhance, protect, and conserve the marine interest of Mississippi through many avenues, but notably through the reliance on the vessel by State, Federal, and University partners through the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP). SEAMAP is a State/Federal/University program for collection, management, and dissemination of fishery-independent data and information in the southeastern United States, and the R/V Tommy Munro has served as one of the only non-Federal vessels capable of data collection through the SEAMAP program for multiple decades. Data collected through SEAMAP are used to develop stock assessments for species such as shrimp and groundfish as well as the Reef Fish Federal Management Plan which manages 31 species including red snapper, grouper, and amberjack; to inform Gulf Council Plans; State fishery openings and closures as determined by SEAMAP partner agencies including Mississippi Department of Marine Resources; for mapping essential fish habitat; and developing management and restoration plans such as the Open Ocean TIG’s Restoration Plan 4 (RP4) as well as many others. The new, modernized vessel to replace the R/V Tommy Munro will ensure continuity of SEAMAP sampling using a standardized approach and will also enable expansion and new opportunities for comprehensive and accurate assessments to enable conservation, protection, and enhancement of the marine interest in Mississippi and beyond.

16. Estimated Years To Completion: 4
17. Estimated Completion Date: 6/30/2030

Budget:

Salaries,Wages, Fringe
Travel
Architecture & Engineering: $1,000,000
Legal
Consulting
Construction: $14,000,000
Site Work
Equipment
Indirects
Other
Total: $15,000,000


Application Submission Date: 08/22/2025
Fiscal Year: 2027
Project Status
Application Status: Submitted
Meets Criteria
Internal Notes:
Attachments:
Hyperlink:: Attachments

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