Since first hitting the water in 1985, the Ngerin has been used for ground-breaking marine research and vital survey work to ensure the sustainability of South Australia's aquatic resources.
Operated by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the marine research vessel (MRV) has been a temporary home to many Australian marine researchers over the years, conducting biological and oceanographic studies.
Dr Mike Steer, Research Director, SARDI Aquatic and Livestock Sciences said the Ngerin was used for crucial marine research.
"As the only dedicated coastal research vessel operating off the South Australian coast, the MRV Ngerin has a history of contributing to ground-breaking research," Dr Steer said.
“It’s been involved in a wide variety of voyages, including working alongside the Cousteau Society to deploy some of the first acoustic tags on white sharks, which provided preliminary insights into the movement and distribution of Great White Sharks in South Australia."
More recently, it has played a key role in seagrass restoration in Gulf St Vincent.
“It’s being used to deploy over 100,000 sandbags to initiate the restoration of 20ha of seagrass along the Adelaide coast and at Port Gawler,” Dr Steer said.
Typical voyages include expeditions to support the assessment and management of the state’s fish stocks, when information about the numbers, size, and age of fish species in South Australian waters are collected.
It's also used by marine researchers for up to two weeks at a time when they conduct research projects in waters off southern Australia.
“The southern shelf of South Australia and its adjacent gulfs are globally unique,” Dr Steer said.
“It includes Australia’s largest seasonal upwelling system, significant natural resources, productive and economically significant fisheries, and aquaculture sectors, and are of global ecological and conservation significance.
“Having research capacity in the Ngerin, a dedicated research vessel, has given South Australia sovereign capability in marine research, which supports the sustainable growth of South Australia’s marine industries and environment.
“It has advanced our understanding of ocean processes, climate, marine environment and fisheries off southern Australia.”
The Ngerin also provides essential support to national science programs, such as Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), which is a system of equipment to monitor the open oceans and coastal marine environment around Australia.
It also means South Australia has the capability to respond to biosecurity threats and the vessel can be used in support of defence projects.
According to skipper Jonnie Western, the quality of life on board the Ngerin during the two-week expeditions depends on factors like the weather, the type of work and the mood of the people on board.
“I try to put the ship in the best formation to ensure as smoother ride as possible, maintaining a high level of seamanship, looking after the safety of passengers and crew first,” Mr Western said.
“As a skipper I get to see the best and the worst from the wheelhouse; from stunning sunrises and sunsets, through to 8m seas and 40 knot winds.”
Mr Western said when the Ngerin conducts the survey for the South Australian sardine industry, which is one of the largest surveys of its type in the Southern Hemisphere, they travel to very remote waters.
“This survey covers waters from as far west as the Western Australian border to Robe in the south-east of South Australia, extending out of the continental shelf," he said.
“It takes us out to very remote regions of the Great Australian Bight. There is nothing out there, just water, wind and few boats, if any.
“If the weather ‘comes away’ or blows up, sometimes there isn’t much more you can do than heave to, stand on, tack or jog.
“Then it’s up to us to monitor sea sickness and try and keep everyone’s spirits up.”
The Ngerin's name is derived from the Pitjantjatjara language and means good fishing. It is part of the Southern Coastal Research Vessel Fleet project, which also includes a Western Australian-based vessel, Naturaliste, owned and operated by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in Western Australia.
SARDI takes a lead role in this project with the goal of establishing a coordinated fleet of coastal research vessels in southern Australia.
Each year, Australian researchers can apply for fully funded grants of sea time on either the RV Naturaliste (owned and operated by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia) or MRV Ngerin, as part of the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy's initiative to establish a Southern Coastal Research Vessel Fleet. More information is available from SARDI.
Below are images of the MRV Ngerin on research expeditions in the waters off southern Australia.
