America’s Proven Builder of University & Scientific Research Vessels

When a business, university or a research institution commissions a new vessel, they aren’t just buying a boat. They’re acquiring a long-term scientific platform, one that will carry researchers, students, and equipment into demanding conditions for decades. The margin for error is zero.

That’s why the institutions that know vessels best choose All American Marine.

From the 2025 Ship of the Year — the R/V North Wind, built for Cal Poly Humboldt — to research and survey vessels operating for Duke University, C&C Technologies, NOAA, NV5 Geodynamics, and many more, AAM has built a portfolio of proven research vessels that perform exactly as designed, on time, and on budget. Our integrated design-build process, exclusive partnership with world-class naval architect Teknicraft Design, and deep expertise in clean propulsion technology make us the most capable builder of scientific research vessels in the United States.

THE AAM RESEARCH VESSEL TRACK RECORD

All American Marine’s research vessel portfolio serves universities, federal agencies, and scientific survey organizations across North America. Each vessel begins with the same proven foundation: a mission-driven Teknicraft Design aluminum catamaran hull, engineered for performance and efficiency, and constructed at our 57,000 sq. ft. shipyard on Bellingham Bay to the most rigorous USCG certifications.

Our most recent research vessel deliveries illustrate a clear progression of capability—each project refining and advancing the design, operational efficiency, and onboard functionality of the last. The result is a growing fleet of vessels trusted by operators who demand reliability, precision, and performance at sea.

R/V NORTH WIND — CAL POLY HUMBOLDT
2025 Ship of the Year | Delivered March 2025

In March 2025, All American Marine delivered the 78′ × 26.7′ R/V North Wind to Cal Poly Humboldt — a multipurpose aluminum catamaran research vessel built for near-coastal operations off Northern California and Oregon, as well as offshore and ocean routes. She was named the 2025 Ship of the Year by American Ship Review, and was a Significant Boat Finalist with Workboat Magazine.

Designed by Teknicraft’s Nic de Waal, North Wind integrates Teknicraft’s signature combined hull shape, bow wave piercer, and patented dynamic hydrofoil system. Twin MAN EPA Tier 4 engines meet California air emission requirements while delivering fuel-efficient survey speeds of 4–8 knots and transit speeds of 18–24 knots, fully laden. She accommodates up to 40 day passengers or 14 live-aboard scientists and crew, with dedicated wet and dry lab spaces and a full suite of oceanographic equipment.

Eric Riggs, Dean of Cal Poly Humboldt’s College of Natural Resources & Sciences, said North Wind was built “specifically to advance our academic vision of educating future scientists, while keeping the latest environmental standards in mind.” The decision to choose AAM was driven by track record: “They have an excellent record designing and building state-of-the-art research vessels to the performance specifications we need on California’s North Coast, and this was a key consideration when we chose them as our builder.”

R/V SHEARWATER — DUKE UNIVERSITY MARINE LAB
77 Foot Coastal Research Vessel

This 77’ x 26.5’ semi-displacement catamaran integrates hydrofoil-assisted hull technology for superior fuel efficiency, stability, and low-wake energy. The vessel is powered by twin Tier 3 CAT C18 “D” ACERT engines (803 bhp @ 2100 RPM) and achieves a cruising speed of 24 knots. With live-aboard accommodations for 14, the R/V Shearwater supports 30 passengers for research missions, providing an unparalleled platform for marine exploration and ocean sustainability studies.

The R/V Shearwater established the design template that has since been carried forward into multiple AAM research vessels. A proven, high-performance coastal research platform, Shearwaterdemonstrated that the Teknicraft catamaran hull form is as well-suited to rigorous scientific operations as it is to speed and efficiency. Her design has since been replicated and refined — most directly in NV5 Geodynamics’ R/V Shackleford — confirming the scalability and adaptability of the AAM research vessel platform across different missions and operating environments.

R/V SHACKLEFORD — NV5 | GEODYNAMICS
73′ Hydrographic Survey & Research Vessel | 2023 Workboat Significant Boat of the Year

When NV5 Geodynamics needed a precision hydrographic survey vessel for offshore wind and scientific survey operations along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, they looked to the proven design lineage of the R/V Shearwater and chose All American Marine to build it.

The 73′ × 26.7′ R/V Shackleford is purpose-built around a data-centric philosophy — the vessel itself configured as a precision scientific instrument, with fully dedicated and redundant survey systems, a retractable moonpool for sonar deployment, and a twin-engine hull delivering the speed and stability that exacting hydrographic survey work demands.

NV5 Geodynamics Senior VP Chris Freeman put it plainly: “We chose All American Marine based on their experience and skillset in building such highly customized research vessels, vessels that are in service throughout North America.”

R/V Shackleford was delivered on time, on budget, and recognized as a WorkBoat Significant Boat of the Year in 2023.

R/V SEA SCOUT — C&C TECHNOLOGIES
134′ Deep & Shallow Water Survey Catamaran

When offshore survey missions demand a vessel capable of operating from shallow coastal waters to deepwater environments, operators need a platform that combines range, stability, and efficiency. For C&C Technologies, an international leader in offshore geophysical surveying, that platform became R/V Sea Scout, designed by Teknicraft and built by All American Marine.

The 134’ × 37’ aluminum research catamaran demonstrates how the Teknicraft hull form scales to larger research platforms while maintaining the stability and fuel efficiency required for precision offshore survey work. Sea Scout features a unique quad-propeller propulsion system, pairing two Caterpillar C32 engines with two smaller C18s. The configuration allows the vessel to transit to offshore work sites at speeds approaching 26 knots, then shift to low-speed survey operations between 4–11 knots on the smaller engines for improved fuel efficiency and control.

Purpose-built for geophysical operations, the vessel includes an 80,000-lb-rated aft working deck, centerline moonpool, integrated transducer pods, 5-ton hydraulic crane, and dedicated survey lab, server room, and data processing spaces. Sea Scout accommodates 26 scientists and crew across 12 staterooms with full galley and mission support spaces for extended offshore deployments.

SOLAS-compliant, ABS-classed, and built to USCG Subchapter T standards, Sea Scout reflects the scalability of the Teknicraft-designed research platform and All American Marine’s experience delivering mission-driven scientific vessels, from coastal research craft to large offshore survey platforms.

WHY RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS CHOOSE ALL AMERICAN MARINE

Building a research vessel requires a fundamentally different mindset than building a commercial vessel. Every design decision — hull geometry, lab layout, deck configuration, propulsion system — directly affects the quality of science conducted aboard and the safety of the researchers who depend on it. You need a builder who understands that the vessel is not the end product. The science is.

ONE INTEGRATED TEAM FROM DESIGN THROUGH DELIVERY

At All American Marine, design and construction are never separate conversations. Our exclusive North American partnership with Teknicraft Design — led by renowned naval architect Nic de Waal — means the people designing your vessel and the people building it are working side by side from the first conversation to final sea trial.

This integrated approach eliminates the most common and costly failure point in vessel construction: the gap between what was designed and what gets built. Critical details are locked in early. Problems are solved before they become change orders. The finished vessel performs exactly as engineered.

A HULL BUILT FOR SCIENCE

The Teknicraft catamaran hull delivers performance advantages that matter directly to research operations:

• Ultra-low wake — With proprietary hydrofoil technology, the low wake performance is critical for sensitive water sampling, acoustic monitoring, and operations near sensitive marine environments.
• Exceptional Platform Stability — a stable, predictable platform in varying sea states means better data quality and safer over-the-side operations.
• Dual-Speed Versatility — efficient slow-speed survey operation at 4–8 knots and fast transit speeds of 18–24 knots in the same vessel, without compromise.
• Superior Fuel Economy — the AAM-built Teknicraft hull displaces 1/3 of the vessel’s weight, uses 1/3 less horsepower, and burns 1/3 less fuel than other vessels in the same class.

CLEAN PROPULSION EXPERTISE — BUILT IN

All American Marine built Sea Change, North America’s first commercial hydrogen fuel cell passenger vessel. That milestone isn’t a marketing footnote — it’s evidence of hands-on, hard-won experience with the propulsion systems that research institutions and their funders are increasingly requiring.

As the field moves toward low- and zero-emission vessels, AAM brings proven expertise across the full spectrum: diesel-electric hybrid, battery-electric, and hydrogen fuel cell propulsion. We understand the regulatory requirements, the operational trade-offs, and the practical realities of deploying these systems at sea — because we’ve done it.

DELIVERED ON TIME. ON BUDGET. EVERY TIME.

Research vessel programs are funded by state appropriations, federal grants, and institutional budgets that don’t flex. Late delivery isn’t an inconvenience — it can derail research schedules, jeopardize funding, and set programs back by years.

All American Marine’s research vessel track record is built on accountability. R/V North Wind delivered on schedule. R/V Shackleford delivered on schedule. Our 57,000 sq. ft. purpose-built facility — outfitted with CNC cutting, precision tooling, overhead cranes, and laser-leveled build platforms — exists specifically to give our craftsmen the tools to build the most advanced vessels in the industry with the precision and predictability that complex projects demand.

READY TO DISCUSS YOUR RESEARCH VESSEL PROGRAM?

Whether you’re preparing for an RFP submission, in early-stage planning, or looking for a builder with the track record to back up a competitive proposal — All American Marine is ready to be your partner from concept through delivery.

Our team brings the experience, the integrated design-build capability, and the proven research vessel portfolio to deliver a vessel your institution will rely on for decades.

SALES@ALLAMERICANMARINE.COM

360.647.7602