R/V GYRE

R/V GYRE (IMO: 7318999) sailing under the Vanuatu flag. It has an overall length of 157 feets and a beam of 36 feets.

Vessel Identification

MMSI: 577275000 IMO: 7318999 Call Sign: YJTX5 Flag State: Vanuatu Vessel Type: Research Vessel Status: Retired/Decommissioned

Specifications

Built: 1973 Length Overall: 68.9 m (226 ft) Beam: 12.8 m (42 ft) Draft: 5.5 m (18 ft) Gross Tonnage: 1,190 GT Displacement: 2,400 tons

Propulsion

Engine Type: Diesel-Electric Propulsion System: Twin screw Bow Thruster: Equipped

Shipyard

Builder: Halter Marine, Inc. Build Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Year Delivered: 1973

Owner/Operator

Original Operator: Texas A&M University / TAMU-TAMUG Operating Institution: Texas A&M University at Galveston Home Port: Galveston, Texas, USA Managed Under: University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS)

Operating Region

The vessel operated primarily in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Caribbean Sea, conducting oceanographic research cruises across multiple ocean basins during its operational life spanning several decades.

Vessel Description

R/V Gyre was a mid-sized oceanographic research vessel operated by Texas A&M University at Galveston as part of the UNOLS fleet. Constructed in 1973 by Halter Marine in New Orleans, the vessel served the scientific community for decades as a dedicated platform for oceanographic, biological, chemical, and physical research at sea.

The vessel was equipped with laboratory spaces supporting a range of scientific disciplines, with deck space configured to accommodate oceanographic winches, sampling equipment, and deployable instrumentation. It supported both faculty-led research programs and student training operations consistent with TAMUG's academic mission.

R/V Gyre was eventually retired from active service and was later transferred, operating under the Vanuatu flag registry, which accounts for the MMSI designation within the 577 (Vanuatu) block. The vessel represented a significant chapter in U.S. academic oceanographic research history during its years of UNOLS service.