FLOATING RESEARCH LABORATORIES
THESE GROUNDBREAKING OCEAN-GOING VESSELS WERE DESIGNED TO UNCOVER THE MYSTERIES OF THE DEEP
Words by Mark Smith
Looking like something from a sci-fi movie, the SeaOrbiter was designed to tower above the waves as it made its way through some of the most unexplored parts of the world’s oceans. Featuring its own underwater platform, sophisticated science labs and a sub-ocean ‘garage’ for submarines and divers, the breathtaking vessel has been described as the ‘Starship Enterprise of the sea’. Work was due to begin on the ship in 2014, and it was designed to host a crew of up to 22 for long-term scientific missions lasting over six months. It was intended to roam the oceans and deploy submersible vessels at depths of up to 3.7 miles.
Its scale when seen on the horizon would have been immense. While modern ships usually sit flat to the surface and have most of their mass laid out horizontally, SeaOrbiter was to resemble a floating tower, casting an imposing figure on the horizon like a much larger version of the galleons of old. It would rise to a total height of 51 metres – the height of Nelson’s Column in London – with over half submerged below the ocean.
Designed not just to roam the seas, but also to explore their depths, six of the SeaOrbiter’s 12 decks were to sit below sea level, bringing the undersea realm to life and perfect for providing uninterrupted underwater observation for the scientists and explorers aboard. Its goal was simple – to pull back the curtain on one of nature’s most unexplored habitats.