Abate Molina

Updated: Monday April 22nd, 2024
April 22nd, 2024 IFOP

History

B/C Abate Molina

The scientific ship “Abate Molina” was donated by the Japanese Government to the Government of Chile. It was collectively designed by skilled Japanese and Chilean technicians, built in the legendary MIHO shipyards of Japan, launched on November 10th, 1990, completed in January 1991 and arrived in Chile on the third of March of 1991. As from that year it has been managed and operated by the Fisheries Development Institute.

The ship is named after the Jesuit priest Juan Ignacio Molina and Gonzalez (1740-1820), considered the first Chilean scientist whose work achieved remarkable recognition in the scientific community at that time and to this day, especially with the description of 172 species of flora and fauna of our country, including marine species.

Biological Laboratory

Workstation where Biological Sampling of species take place. Implemented with Marine Scales, Digital fish scale rulers and the adequate infrastructure to carry out such activity.

Dry Lab

Data collection and processing station for the running cruise, with 5 top of the line computer modules. (Roseta, Seanose and Biological Process data).

Wet Lab

Oceanography Workstation (Oxygen and Chlorophyll) and Plankton (setting of samples). It also has a horizontal profiler SEANOSE, consisting of: Fluorometer, Dissolved Carbon Reader, Gap Sensor, a thermosalinometer (temperature and conductivity) and Oxygen Sensor. This equipment provides real time information which is later received in dry lab monitors.

Acoustic Laboratory

Workstation equipped with scientific echosounder Simrad EK 60, next generation model, equal to the ones used in vessels from developed countries and that allows for the evaluation studies of Chile´s main marine resources. Furthermore, this lab counts with 1 server and 3-next gen computer modules.

Rosetta

Underwater unit used to obtain oceanographic variables (pressure, conductivity, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence) in real time, transmitted by a conductive probe that allows sampling of up to 5,000 meters of water depth, operated directly from the dry lab.

The system includes

CTD SBE 9 plus from Sea-Bird electronics, main instrument for oceanographic research chosen by major institutions worldwide.

Auxiliary Sensors

SBE 11plus V2 deck unit. (Real time)

An electro-mechanical Seacable (single or multi-conductor)

SBE 32 water sample carousel with 12 five liter bottles.

An SBE 17plus. (Optional module for recording “in situ” and autonomous operation of the CTD and can be programmed by the user to activate the closure of the bottle, eliminating the need for a seacable conductive deck unity).

Fishing deck

Allows pelagic and polyvalent stern trawling with bottom and midwater trawls nets using otter boards. The system is operated by a winch swinger network, with electric hauling system with separate command from digital console, and electrical maneuvering rollers.

Oceanographic decks

Area where the Rosetta operation takes place, Bongo nets, stratified WP2, calvet, dredges and sediment traps. Manual bottling can be performed to obtain water samples.

The equipment is operated by two hydraulic Oceanographic winches with capacity for 5,000 meters of cable, one with electrical conductor cable (Rosetta).

It has a digital power block that provides speed information, cable input and output, tension and inclinometer.