PacWave Inks ‘Historic’ US Wave Power Purchase Deal
PacWave, administered by Oregon State University, has signed a power purchase agreement with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), paving the way for wave-generated electricity to be supplied to the U.S. grid for the first time.The agreement marks a major step for CalWave, which will deploy its xWave technology at the PacWave test site. The company said the project represents its move from research and development into commercial operations after previously exporting power only to a microgrid at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography during a 2021–22 open-ocean deployment.The five-year
Scientists Discover Six Million Year Old Ice in Antarctica, Offers Unprecedented Window into a Warmer Earth
today.The research was led by Sarah Shackleton, assistant scientist in Geology & Geophysics, and John Higgins of Princeton University, who are affiliated with the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Oldest Ice Exploration, or COLDEX, a collaboration of 15 U.S. research institutions led by Oregon State University.“Ice cores are like time machines that let scientists take a look at what our planet was like in the past,” said Shackleton, who has participated in many seasons of ice core drilling at Allan Hills. “The Allan Hills cores help us travel much further back than we
Sonardyne Technology Selected for New Oceanographic Research Vessels
Underwater positioning and tracking technology from Sonardyne has been chosen for three new oceanographic research vessels being built under the US' National Science Foundation (NSF) Regional Class Research Vessel (RCRV) construction program.Led by Oregon State University, the RCRVs are being built for the US' Academic Research Fleet (ARF), enabling a new era of coastal and regional marine science. To support the RCRV's scientific missions, across diverse marine environments, Oregon State University selected Sonardyne's Ranger 2 Gyro USBL 7000, engineered to meet both the demanding
Fascinated by Shipwrecks Podcast: Episode 13
talks with author Rod Scher who recounts the early history of the ship, why she was on a voyage that wasn’t her typical route, and how a critical navigation error began the final voyage of the doomed ship. Rod Scher began his working life teaching English in high schools in California and Oregon; he continued teaching at the post-secondary level until 2016. In between, he worked as an editor for textbooks and magazines. Rod has built a "retirement" career as an experienced writer/editor who has annotated or edited many books and written countless magazine articles. His love of
First Deep-Sea Mining Company Asks Trump for International Permit
deep-sea mining uneconomical and a form of "subsidized plunder" of the world's oceans."The industry's financial models are based on wildly optimistic assumptions and fail to reflect the volatility and reality of global mineral markets," said Representative Maxine Dexter, an Oregon Democrat.Privately-held Impossible Metals, which has asked Washington to auction American Samoa's minerals, told the hearing it had no plans to operate without conducting more environmental testing.An engineering expert from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology told the hearing the effects
All American Marine Delivers Cal Poly Humboldt Catamaran
All American Marine (AAM) has delivered a 78’ x 26.7’ semi-displacement aluminum catamaran to Cal Poly Humboldt. The vessel will serve as a scientific exploration platform and support faculty research along the Northern California and Oregon coasts.Designed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design, the RV North Wind builds on the proven success of similar research vessels, including the R/V Shackleford and the University of Hawaii’s R/V Imua.Constructed to US Coast Guard Subchapter T standards, it is optimized for near-coastal and offshore operations, supporting Cal Poly Humboldt&rsqu
SGS Completes In-Water Thruster Install, Rudder Bushing Replacement
a complex in-water thruster installation and rudder bushing replacement, eliminating the need for drydocking.Initially planned for drydock, the repairs were expedited in water when drydocking availability did not align with the vessel’s operational needs. The project was executed in Portland, Oregon, with support from multiple Subsea Global Solutions locations, including Long Beach, Port Angeles, Miami, and Houston. The operation required round-the-clock shifts, with multiple teams working simultaneously on the cofferdam fabrication, thruster installation, and rudder bushing replacement
Drydock Avoided with In-Water Dry Environment Repairs
were expedited in-water when drydocking availability did not align with the vessel’s operational needs. Subsea Global Solutions was selected based on its extensive experience with in-water technical repairs and its history of successful projects for the client.The project was executed in Portland, Oregon, with support from multiple Subsea Global Solutions locations, including Long Beach, Port Angeles, Miami and Houston. The operation required round-the-clock shifts, with multiple teams working simultaneously on the cofferdam fabrication, thruster installation and rudder bushing replacement.A key
There’s Plenty More “Fish” in the Sea
their own record for the fastest swimming soft robot, drawing inspiration from manta rays to improve their ability to control the robot’s movement in the water.But, there’s plenty more “fish” in the sea that have inspired subsea robotics, including:Scientists at the University of Oregon discovered that colonies of salps, gelatinous sea animals, swim through the ocean in giant corkscrew shapes using coordinated jet propulsion, an unusual kind of locomotion that could inspire new designs for efficient underwater vehicles.Experts at the Max-Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
December 2025
