The academic fleet - Past, present and future

The University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) is a consortium of 57 academic institutions with significant marine programs that either operate or use the U.S. academic research fleet. The goal of UNOLS is to optimize scientific and economic efficiency of the Fleet and to ensure that national planning for new ships is undertaken. As a result of this planning and coordination, the 28 research vessels in the UNOLS Fleet stand as the largest and most capable fleet of oceanographic research vessels in the world. The UNOLS Fleet is utilized by scientists from all across the country and many institutions beyond those that are UNOLS members. These seagoing facilities provide the platforms on which the bulk of American oceanographic research is performed. The Fleet is made up of different ships with different operational management and different funding profiles yet commonly seeking to provide state-of-the-art, cost effective, seagoing science platforms. This paper will review the history of UNOLS and the process by which it has evolved. It will explain the unique relationships between the UNOLS institutions and their relationship with the federal agencies funding oceanographic science.