NOAA’s Oscar Dyson modernization will include Siemens Energy propulsion upgrades

Oscar Dyson seen leaving Dutch Harbor, Alaska, in 2024. [Photo: Paul Hillman/NOAA Fisheries]

As we reported earlier, at the end of the 2026 field season, the NOAA ship Oscar Dyson, which was commissioned in 2005, will go to the JAG Alaska shipyard for a $95 million mid-life modernization. The agency anticipates that the Oscar Dyson will be available for service in time for the 2028 field season.

“These upgrades will help the ship continue to meet the needs of the nation in primarily Alaskan and Arctic waters well into the future,” said NOAA Corps Rear Adm. Chad Cary, director of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations at the time the contract was awarded. “Modernizing the shipboard technology will improve the Dyson’s fuel efficiency and operational safety, while ensuring that future research performed by the Dyson continues to be second to none.”

The project will include propulsion upgrades by Siemens Energy.

“We appreciate all the efforts to bring a project of this magnitude and importance to the State of Alaska and look forward to working together with NOAA and our partner Siemens Energy, the single source vendor selected for the Oscar Dyson MEP propulsion upgrades,” said Charles Minton, senior vice president and chief administrative officer for the JAG Marine Group.

Advanced propulsion technology

A highlight of the upgrade is Siemens Energy’s SISHIP BlueDrive PlusC low-voltage direct current (LVDC) propulsion system, which dramatically improves fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. The system minimizes specific fuel consumption (g/kWh) during operations, aligning with NOAA’s sustainability goals and setting a new standard for energy-efficient research vessels.

Retired Rear Admiral Bryant Fuller, head of federal maritime programs at Siemens Energy, noted the company’s longstanding partnership with NOAA, stating, “The Oscar Dyson’s upgrade with our BlueDrive PlusC propulsion system is a testament to our shared commitment to sustainability, innovation, and operational excellence in the maritime sector.”

The upcoming upgrades will include advanced, Tier 4 variable-speed generators, quiet air conditioning motors, improved fire detection systems, new pumps, fans, cranes, and radars, as well as additional single-occupancy staterooms, all designed to enhance operational efficiency, scientific capabilities, and crew comfort.