NEWS All year round, measurements are made in the Gulf of Bothnia to keep track of the environmental status of the sea. On board the combined environmental protection and research vessel KBV 181, chemists and biologists from Umeå University work side by side with the Coast Guard's crew. The collaboration between Umeå University and the Coast Guard is a unique way to solve the needs of a research vessel. On June 6, the newly renovated vessel will be open for the public in Umeå Harbor.
KBV181 is used both for research and environmental monitoring and for Coast guard missions, such as oil spill protections. Photo: Lizette Gunnesson.
ImageLizette GunnessonThe ship KBV 181 is used both as a research vessel and an environmental protection vessel. Research groups are offered the opportunity to either use the vessel for their own expeditions or to accompany one of the regular expeditions carried out within the environmental monitoring. Umeå University's activities can be combined with the Coast Guard's regular mission, which includes stopping and combating the release of oil and other hazardous substances at sea.
"We have a common interest in working for a good marine environment in the Baltic Sea," says Cecilia Hennig, station manager at the Coast Guard in Umeå.
The ship is now equipped with a rosette sampler for taking water samples.
ImageMarlene JohanssonIn 2021, the ship KBV 181 has been renovated. It is now even better adapted to be able to combine the Coast Guard's various missions with the need for an effective platform for marine research. New laboratories for biological and chemical analyses have been built on board, and sampling is now facilitated by the possibility of using advanced sampling equipment.
"The information we produce about the marine environment is used, among other things, to assess nationally whether Sweden is achieving its environmental goals. It is therefore of the utmost importance that sampling and analyses can be carried out in a standardized and reliable manner. In addition, of course, a good working environment on board is very important. All these factors have improved with the renovation of the vessel," says Siv Huseby, environmental analyst at Umeå University.
On June 6, the ship will be open for the public in Umeå Harbor, Holmsund. During the day, both the Coast Guard's and Umeå University's activities will be presented. Short lectures on the state of the marine environment will be held by experts from Umeå University, and equipment for both sampling and oil collection will be shown.
Find more information about the event on 6 June
Due to the security situation in the country, only parts of the ship will be open for viewing.
