National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) Fisheries Survey Vessels (FSVs) Homeport Alternatives Analysis

	Fisheries Survey Vessel Henry B. Bigelow

SRI's Envirotechnical Program was tasked by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) prime contractor, TranSystems, Inc., to identify and evaluate alternative homeport opportunities for NOAA Fisheries Survey Vessels (FSVs) Henry B. Bigelow and Delaware II. The purpose of this effort was to ensure that NOAA operational and scientific requirements for fisheries research in the New England area were met in a cost-effective manner.

The FSV Henry B. Bigelow, under construction, will replace NOAA FSV Albatross IV in the summer of 2006. The current homeport for FSV Delaware II and the aging FSV Albatross IV is Northeast Fisheries Science Center Woods Hole Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

SRI's Envirotechnical Program coordinated with the principal user (the National Marine Fisheries Service) and ship operator (the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations) in preparing the homeport site search criteria, drafting the site evaluation data sheet, and conducting on-site screening of prospective homeport locations. General and detailed site selection criteria were developed to evaluate published and anecdotal information for each prospective port. These criteria were applied to 339 berthing locations—first at a “desktop” level of analysis, then through interviews and site visits. SRI completed the homeport analysis, which included technical and cost-benefit considerations, within a three-month time frame.

Five homeport alternatives were identified for on-site evaluation. These five alternatives were ranked, and three were further evaluated for life-cycle and present-value costs over a 30-year project life. SRI and TranSystems, Inc., completed their final report in February 2006. The report, sought by a congressional subcommittee, recommended the homeport alternative technically and economically most beneficial to the NOAA mission for fisheries research over the life of the project.

	Woods Hole Great Harbor		Site Search Region