en.Wedoany.com Reported - Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors LLC (headquartered in Houma, Louisiana) has received a fixed-price modification contract totaling $26.6 million to modify the shore power system configuration and functionality of two 244-foot National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research vessels, the *Discoverer* and the *Oceanographer*, with both vessels expected to be completed by November 2028.

The contract was awarded on July 6 and is the latest addition to the original $178 million contract awarded in 2020 through the Naval Sea Systems Command. In a statement issued in March 2025 when the *Discoverer* was launched, NOAA stated that the vessel will be used for "deep-sea exploration, ocean condition monitoring, and marine life research." Both the *Discoverer* and its sister ship, the *Oceanographer*, are equipped with the latest clean energy technologies, including vessel emission control systems and high-efficiency diesel engines. NOAA's current research fleet consists of 15 vessels, with an average age exceeding 30 years. The agency noted: "By 2030, six of these vessels may reach the end of their operational life. These new advanced ships will ensure NOAA can continue its mission to support safe navigation, coastal resource management, and the national economy." The *Discoverer* will be homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, while the *Oceanographer* will be homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii.