RV Novus in Dartmouth

RV Novus Joins the LeeWay Fleet and Begins First Contract

August 3, 2021 (Dartmouth, NS) – LeeWay Marine is proud to share that their fleet of ocean science and research vessels has grown with the addition of RV Novus (formerly Windea Five).  

Designed and constructed by Abeking & Rasmussen of Germany, Novus is a state-of-the-art SWATH (Small-Waterplane-Area Twin Hull) vessel with extraordinary sea-keeping abilities. Her design supports near-to-mid shore survey operations for charting and mapping, offshore wind development, cable inspection, fish stocks assessments and benthic surveying. 

“The acquisition of Novus marks an important step forward for our business as we move toward building a world-class fleet of near, mid and offshore survey platforms for commercial and government partners,” said Jamie Sangster, CEO. “Her design and stability is unmatched in North America, in my estimation, and we couldn’t be happier to bring her to market.” 

LeeWay partnered with A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd. of Meteghan, Nova Scotia to prepare the vessel for its work as a science vessel. During the refit period earlier this year, a Kongsberg 2040-04 multi-beam sonar and EK80 echo-sounder were installed to enable the vessel to conduct hydrographic and fish stock surveys. 

In addition to the news that Novus is joining the fleet, LeeWay is also announcing the vessel’s first contract, which is with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Quebec.  

“Novus will be an important asset on the East Coast of Canada, supporting critical hydrographic and fish stock studies that drive public policy and decision making in the region,” comments Sangster. “The combination of vessel stability and sophisticated scientific instrumentation will allow for high quality data collection in the remote and harsh environments that can be found in Eastern Canada.” 

 

About RV Novus 

RV Novus is permanently fitted with the latest in science and survey equipment, including: 

  • Hull-mounted Kongsberg 2040-04 Multibeam Sonar 

  • Hull-mounted EK80 Echo Sounder 

  • POS MV OceanMaster 

  • AML Sound Velocity Profiler 

  • Dual Furuno ECDIS 

Specifications 
Top Speed: 16 knots 

Cruise Speed: 10 knots 

Survey Speed: ~5 knots 

Length: 23 m 

Depth: 3 m 

Beam: 13 m 

Construction: Aluminum 

POB (w/o crew): 6 during day ops, 4 during 24-hour ops 

Berths: 8 

 

Vessel Webpage: https://leewaymarine.ca/vessels/rv-novus  

 

About LeeWay Marine 

LeeWay Marine is a vessel owner/operator based at COVE (The Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship) in Dartmouth, NS. Their range of vessels support geophysical and geotechnical surveys, offshore oil and gas, ocean technology development, physical oceanography and naval defence training. For more information, please visit www.leewaymarine.ca. Find us on Facebook and Twitter @leewaymarine, and on LinkedIn. 

Media Contact 

Greg Veinott 

Director of Operations 

[email protected]