The Coastal Explorer, a ship that will launch a new era of ocean research at Coastal Carolina University, was christened today at a dedication ceremony at the Grand Dunes Marina in Myrtle Beach.

The acquisition of the Coastal Explorer will significantly expand CCU's already considerable research initiatives across the board, according to Professor Paul Gayes, director of CCU's School of Coastal and Marine Systems Science.

The 54-foot vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art geophysical instrumentation for ocean research. The vessel has an 8,000-pound lift capacity designed to deploy buoys and equipment for water/sediment sampling, underwater video, seafloor mapping and sub-seafloor sampling. The ship also has a lab with three data acquisition workstations, and two additional workstations on the bridge.

"In keeping with the mission of the School of Coastal and Marine Systems Science, the Coastal Explorer will allow us to focus on developing a better understanding of the complex coastal systems and associated natural resources that serve as the basis of significant portions of the local and state economy," said Michael Roberts, dean of the College of Science at CCU.

"By engaging students in ongoing research and studies, we're working to train the next generation of coastal scientists to help better predict future coastal behavior (erosion, water quality, hurricane tracks and activity/ surges etc.) and convey that information to aid society in effectively managing these resources to protect our coastal resources, infrastructure and economy," said Gayes.

For more information about the Coastal Explorer or CCU's School of Coastal and Marine Science Systems, contact Paul Gayes at 843-349-4015 or ptgayes@coastal.edu.