Research Fleet

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Research Fleet is the backbone of the Center’s coastal science research programs, providing scientists with access to the Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries and the coastal Atlantic Ocean.

The R/V Rachel Carson is homeported in Solomons, MD 

Christened in November 2008, the R/V Rachel Carson is the flagship of the UMCES fleet. The 81-foot Rachel Carson can be rigged to support a wide variety of estuarine and near-coastal oceanographic research projects, including dredging, trawling, coring, water quality observations, plankton sampling, and buoy deployment.

The Carson’s shallow draft, speed, maneuverability, general configuration and versatility make her well-suited for the varied conditions and problems encountered in estuarine and near-coastal research.

Learn more about the R/V Rachel Carson:

Additional information regarding specific projects, or inquiries concerning shiptime, scheduling, or equipment can be obtained by contacting Captain Michael H. Hulme, Director of Marine Operations for the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.