Ninfe-class research vessel

The Ninfe class of survey vessels [2] consists of two catamaran hulls operated by the Marina Militare Italiana.

Galatea (A 5308), Port of Livorno, 2013
Class overview
Name: Ninfe class
Builders: Intermarine, Sarzana (La Spezia)
Operators:  Italian Navy
Preceded by: Mirto (A 5306) and Pioppo (A 5307)
In commission: 2002
Planned: 2
Completed: 2
Active: 2
General characteristics
Type: Survey vessel
Displacement: 415 t (408 long tons) full load
Length: 39.21 m (128.6 ft) LOA
Beam: 12.6 m (41 ft)
Draught: 2.5 m (8.2 ft)
Propulsion:
Speed: 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Range: 1,700 nautical miles (3,100 km; 2,000 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement: 31
Sensors and
processing systems:		 2 x navigation radar GEM Elettronica SPN-753

Features

They was designed to carry out hydro-oceanographic surveys at high sea and in harbours and shallow waters, in order to guarantee the production and updating of nautical charts.
Main activities:
[3]

  • sounding
  • minimum depth
  • topography of shorelines and port facilities
  • seabed features
  • collection of nautical and geographical data for the updating of nautical documentation
  • detection of sunken vessels or dangerous underwater obstacles

The collected data are then processed by means of dedicated software programs and then used to produce:

  • paper and electronic nautical charts for the safety of navigation
  • Additional Military Layers
  • nautical, scientific and technical documentation for mariners
  • oceanographic databases for scientific purposes

Characteristics

It is fitted with:

  • multi-beam echo sounder Simrad EM300 (30 kHz)[4]
  • single-beam echo sounder Simrad EA500 (12, 120 e 200 kHz)
  • single-beam echo sounder Atlas Deso 25 (33, 100 e 210 kHz)
  • Side Scan Sonar towed Simrad MS992
  • differential and RTK satellite positioning systems
  • Sippican XBT MK21 bathythermograph system
  • CTD profiler with rosette system Ocean Seven 316 used for water sampling at different depths
  • Van Veen buckets
  • Sindel weather station

The ship is equipped one survey motor-boat for coastal and shallow water surveys fitted with:

  • single beam Simrad EA400 (38 e 200 kHz)
  • multi-beam echo sounders Simrad EM3000 (300 kHz)

Ships
 Italian Navy - Ninfe class
Name Pennant number Laid down Launched Commissioned Motto
Aretusa A 5304 9 May 2000 10 January 2002 Arethusa undis prospicit
Galatea A 5308 7 June 2000 10 January 2002 Felix Galatea vivas

References
  1. "The Ninfe Class". Intermarine.it. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  2. "Idrografiche costiere - Marina Militare". Marina.difesa.it. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  3. "Aretusa - Marina Militare". Marina.difesa.it. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  4. "Navy Installs New Multibeam Echo Sounders". Marinelink.com. 2003-12-18. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
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