A new video takes viewers aboard the Research Vessel Savannah, owned and operated by the University of Georgia Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO). 

Part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) and Academic Research Fleet (ARF), the 104-foot R/V Savannah is ideal for biological, chemical, physical and geological oceanographic studies in estuarine and continental shelf waters throughout the southeastern U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.

With a crew of seven and the capacity to hold up to 16 scientists, the R/V Savannah is well suited for large-scale scientific missions. The vessel can spend up to 25 days at sea before a necessary port call to refuel. It has a cruising range that spans the waters from New York to the Caribbean and out into the Sargasso Sea. 

The R/V Savannah underwent a refit completed in May 2024. The length of the vessel was extended from 92 feet to 104 feet. Additionally, the main engines were replaced, new generators were installed, and the laboratories were updated, among other improvements. In spring 2025, the ship was outfitted with a new flow-through system featuring more than a dozen instruments that continuously measure key biogeochemical parameters on the ocean’s surface as the ship travels.

Learn more about the R/V Savannah. 

About SkIO

The UGA Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (SkIO) is a multidisciplinary research and education institution located on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia. The Institute was founded in 1967 with a mission to conduct research in all fields of oceanography. In 2013, SkIO was merged with the University of Georgia. The campus serves as a gateway to coastal and marine environments for programs throughout the University System. The Institute’s primary goals are to further the understanding of marine and environmental processes, conduct leading-edge research on coastal and marine systems, and train tomorrow’s scientists. For more information, visit www.skio.uga.edu.