IODP Expedition 303:
North Atlantic Climate 1

Week 1 Report

PDF file is available for download.

September 27, 2004

Operations

Transit: Completed transit from Panama, arrived at the pilot station and picked up the pilot for St John's at 0534 hours on 25 September. Overall average transit speed for the voyage was 10.5 knots. Total distance traveled was 6851 nm.

Port: Expedition 303 began when the first line was placed ashore at 0628 hours on 25 September 2004. In addition to normal port call activities, Transocean completed an underwater hull inspection in the final phase of Special Periodical Survey #5 for the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). This included opening and inspecting all underwater hull valves, gauging wind waterline thickness, replacing anodes, cleaning, and inspection. This was done in lieu of dry docking the vessel and is referred to as UWILD (Underwater Inspection in Lieu of Dry Dock).

Site Security: During the transit and while in port, the R/V JOIDES Resolution operated under a security level of MARSEC Level 1 (Yellow) and appropriate security measures were in effect.

Technical Support and HSE Activities

During the transit, the new technicians trained in their respective labs. The technical staff also received cross-training in different labs during the transit. The staff indexed the documentation throughout the labs and inventoried parts of the analytical systems. There were also safety-training sessions on risk management as well as general lab safety.

The inSORs multi-media conferencing and collaboration software was tested in the ship-to-shore environment. The JOI Education Coordinator was present during this testing.

Two JOI personnel sailed during the transit to photo-document the labs and conduct interviews with personnel. Stereoscopic photos were taken of various labs and locations on the ship, and personnel were interviewed and filmed. Other technical activities during the week included packing shipments and finalizing paperwork for the port call.

After the ship docked and cleared customs and immigration, the crew began to offload shipments. The technical staff crossover took place on the morning of September 26, 2004. There was a meeting of the technical staff with senior IODP staff. After extensive crossover between the two crews, the technical group loaded and distributed the laboratory and scientific equipment and supplies. The staff determined space requirements and set up the fast track MST system in the core lab. Tours of the ship, news conferences, and other PR activities are scheduled on September 27.

The technical staff prepared and planned for Expedition 303; cold weather supplies were inventoried and cold weather gear was distributed.

HSE: A fire and boat drill was conducted to familiarize new personnel with the location of their lifeboat. The technical staff joined other non-assigned personnel at the lifeboats. Technical personnel continued to sign up for mandatory safety training courses developed to educate the sea-going staff and satisfy international marine safety requirements.