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RRS James Clark Ross

Occupied: 1 December 1990 to present

RRS James Clark Ross (JCR), launched by HM the Queen in 1990, is primarily a marine research vessel for biological, oceanographic and geophysical cruises. It is equipped with a suite of laboratories and winch systems that allows scientific equipment to be deployed astern or amidships. The ship has an extremely low noise signature, allowing the deployment of sensitive acoustic equipment. A swath bathymetry system was fitted in 2000. The JCR also carries out some cargo and logistical work. During the northern summer the JCR supports NERC research, largely in the Arctic.

RRS James Clark Ross (named after Admiral Sir James Clark Ross, R.N.) was built by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders, Wallsend, UK. The vessel can steam at a steady two knots through level sea ice one metre thick. To assist passage through heavy pack ice a compressed air system rolls the ship from side to side freeing the passage.

Researchers describe how they use robotic technologies to measure ice shelves and sea ice.

RRS James Clark Ross in Ryder Bay — RRS *James Clark Ross* in Ryder Bay

Useful documents

Purpose

RRS James Clark Ross contains some of Britain’s most advanced facilities for oceanographic research.

The ship is equipped for geophysical studies, with a compressor bank to power a seismic air gun array, and large aft and starboard decks for scientific equipment deployed by aft and midships gantries.

For biological studies, the vessel can deploy a wide range of sampling gear and benefits from modern underway instrumentation.

The ship is designed with an extremely low noise signature to allow sensitive underwater acoustic equipment to operate effectively.

Sea and hear what it’s like to study sea ice from RRS James Clark Ross

Useful documents

Principal Scientists Handbook (2015)

Technical data and scientific specification

Some scientific equipment may be installed on board for the duration of a particular scientific cruise and removed at the end. This equipment is not listed here.

General

Port of Registry: Stanley, Falkland Islands
Call Sign: ZDLP
INMARSAT-B: 374033924 (Fax)
MMSI No: 740339000
Class: Lloyds +100A1 Ice Class IAS +LMS UMS (DP-AM pending)
Length overall: 99.04 metres
Breadth: 18.85 metres
Full load draft: 6.40 metres
Freeboard: 3.308 metres
Endurance: 12 knots cruising speed: 57 days
Propulsion: Diesel Electric, single fixed propeller, 8500 SHP
Bow thruster: White Gill 360° Controllable, 10 tonnes thrust
Stern thruster: White Gill 360° Controllable, 4 tonnes thrust
Stabilisation: Intering Active/Passive, incorporating ice heeling and overside load compensation
Manning: Officers 12 (+1 on science cruises); Ratings 15; Doctor 1

Scientific/expedition accommodation

15 single berth (with Pullman berth) (14 available on science cruises)
Four x four-berth
Chief Scientist’s suite (two single berths available)
Maximum science complement: 31 berths

Ship’s navigation outfit

Sperry Marine Integrated Bridge System, incorporating:

Sperry Mk37 Mod E Dual Gyro Compasses
Sperry Autopilot Model ADG
Sperry Nav System incorporating Decca Navigator
LORAN ‘C’

Electronic Positioning

Leica MX 400 DGPS
Ashtech G12 DGPS
Furuno Loran C (Note: differential correction data via Racal Skyfix

Compasses

Standard magnetic Cook NSK1977 electric repeater

Electronic charting and plotting

Sea Information System Microplot 6 Version Survey MR
ARCS chart display
World grid (Fleming Sinusoidal
UTM projections
Myriad
Sperry Chart Digitiser ‘E’ size, interfaced with navigation system

Radars

GMDSS-SAIT

Echo sounders

Marconi Marine Seachart 3 Navigational Sounder
Marconi Marine Seachart 3 Manoeuvering Sounder (Stern Transducer)
Simrad EA500 Hydrographic Sounder
Furuno CSH50 Directional Sounder
Simrad EK500 200 Hz Transducer

Logs

Sperry SRD 421S Dual Axis Doppler Log
Chernikeef Aquaprobe Mk 5 EM Log

Other

Space Technology MSGS-30 Satellite Picture Receiver, with printer

Working deck areas

After Deck 20 metres long, full deck width (370 m²)
Starboard: 5 metres wide to midship (150 m²)
Forward: Starboard side main deck (130 m&’178;)
All working deck areas covered by matrix of 1-tonne capacity bolt-down points at 1 metre centres (0.5 metres in some areas)
Facilities for five laboratory containers (ISO 20 ft, 4 aft, 1 fwd)

Cranage

Forward

Main cargo crane 20 tonne x 20 metres
Stores crane 2.5 tonne x 10 metres
Science crane 2 tonne x 4 metres, fitted winch and slip rings

Aft

10 tonne x 17 metres, 3 tonne x 22 metres
2 x 2.5 tonne capacity science cranes (with winches), pt 13 m, stb 10 m

Gantries

Aft

Articulated ‘A’ frame SWL 20 T (static) (7.5 T SWL ArtArm.)
2×2 tonne handling winches on gantry frame

Midships

Articulated ‘A’ frame SWL 30 T (static)
2×2 tonne handling winches adjacent

Winch systems

Main traction winch 30 T SWL (serving aft and midship gantries)

Storage Drums – Superaramid Deep Coring Warp – 8,000 metres
Standard Coring Warp – 8,000 m
Tapered Trawl Warp – 15,000 m
Conducting Cable – 10,000 m

CTD/hydrographic traction winch 10 T SWL

Storage Drums – Hydrographic Wire – 9000 metres
Conducting Cable – 8000 m
Spare Drum
(Inboard and outboard motion compensator systems are fitted to both winches)
Biological Drum Winch: 3000 m 5 T SWL

Twin warp trawling system

3000 metres x 2 x 35.8 T
(A net drum winch is available for mounting on the main deck)
Gilson Winches: 2 x 5 T

Laboratories

Wet Laboratory (23.5 m²)
Main Laboratory (44.2 m²)
Rough Workshop (25.9 m²)
Scientific Workshop (19.6 m²)
Waterbottle Annex (18.1 m²
Chemistry Laboratory (18.1 m²)
Preparation Laboratory: (16.3 m²)
Biochemistry Laboratory (10.6 m²)
Microbiology/Radioactive Laboratory (10.7 m²)

Computer/electronic/control spaces

Underway instrumentation and control room (66.8 m²)
(incorporating winch control room)
Electronics workshop (7.2 m²)
Data preparation room (16.5 m²)
Computer room (19.2 m²)
Paper and magnetic tape ready-use store (4.6 m²)
Darkroom (7.4 m²)

Other scientific spaces

Gravity meter room (5.2 m²)
Cool specimen room (13 m²)
Scientific freezer (12.4 m²)
-80°C scientific chest freezers x2
Scientific hold (118 m²)
Explosives magazine (15 T)
Hazardous chemicals lockers (main deck)
Storm clothing annex

Scientific data acquisition

Local Area Network system with back-up is installed for cruise instrumentation and equipment. Instrumentation continuously logged on the central computing systems. Facilities are available for data transmission via satellite to and from the ship.

Echo sounders and logs

Simrad EA 500 navigational sounders
Simrad EK 500, 38 kHz, 200 kHz and 120 kHz transducers
Sub-bottom profiler, 3.5 kHz
Precision echo sounder, 10 kHz
Furuno CSH50 directional sounder
Acoustic doppler current profiler (RDI type RD-VDM150)
Pitch, roll, heave monitor/compensator
Dual-axis doppler log (Sperry SRD 421 S)
Electro-mechanical log (Chernikeef Aquaprobe Mk5)

Navigation and oceanography

Ship’s navigation system repeated in UIC Room
Trimble 4000 surveyor DGPS (Racal Skyfix)
PC-based Oceanlogger
Ashtec GPS3DF – linked to ADCP
Dynamic positioning system: Simrad Kongsberg SDPI 1

Scientific services

Seismic air compressors

Hamworthy 4TH565W100 x 4 – capacity 555m³/hr at 136 bar

Non-contaminated sea water system

Retractable sampling probe 7.2/14 m³/hr

Distilled/UHP water system

Elgastat polishing unit (ultra high purity) in chemistry laboratory

Hydraulic power supplies

Three pump system providing flow rates of 26, 52 and 78 ltrs/min at 200 bar to three deck manifolds (port/stb aft and midships)
Fwd deck manifold 50 ltrs at 200 bar
Hansen (female required) connections 1.25/1″ BSP
Separate supplies for ‘Gloria, MCS and Net Drum Winch’

Electrical power aupplies

There are two standards of supply – general purpose which may at times have high harmonic content due to the thyristor-controlled propulsion system and clean which is provided by dedicated generators and is suitable for sensitive electronic equipment
415 v AC x 500 amo (scientific rough workshop) serving aft deck
415 v 50 Hz 3 Ph general-purpose supply with eight outlets (main deck)
240 v 50 Hz 3 Ph general-purpose supply (PES pt and stb)
240 v 50 Hz 1 Ph general-purpose supply with five outlets (various)
110 v 50 Hz 1 Ph general-purpose supply to all working areas
240 v 50 Hz 1 Ph clean supply to most areas – i.e. labs, cabins, workshops etc.
110 v 60 Hz 1 Ph clean supply to limited areas – 10 outlets

Container laboratories

Facilities and services for four containers on aft deck and one container on the fwd deck.

Multibeam echosounder

shipborne science

RRS James Clark Ross computer operations room

RRS James Clark Ross computing facilities

Hardware for general use 4 x public use PC workstations with minimum i5 processor, 8GB RAM and 19″ screen Principle Scientist cabin: i5 PC with 24″ screen Local area network …

scientific mooring winch

The RRS James Clark Ross has a purpose build scientific mooring winch, which is capable of deploying mooring of up to 4000m length of 14mm rope diameter. The winch has a …

Underwater camera systems

Shallow UW Camera System can work to depth up to 1000m, showing a black and white live low resolution video stream and can take colour high resolution stills. The system consists …

A group of people posing for a photo in front of a building

Small islands in the middle of nowhere

15 October, 2020 by Sharon Grant

To celebrate Black History Month Sharon Grant describes her time working for British Antarctic Suirvey in this guest blog.

Persistence and brilliant engineering

15 February, 2019 by Nadescha Zwerschke

Nadescha Zwerschke is a marine biologist, who was travelling on the RRS James Clark Ross (JCR) as part of the ICEBERGS 2 cruise in December 2018. Having left Burdwood Bank …

ENGINEERING AT SEA: Supporting Marine Science

9 March, 2018 by Carwyn Davies

Mechanical engineer Carwyn Davies, from British Antarctic Survey’s Antarctic Marine Engineering (AME) is working onboard the RRS James Clark Ross with our science team to investigate Larsen C Benthos. Find …

SCIENCE IN THE SEA: You study what?

28 February, 2018 by Mel Mackenzie

Dr Mel Mackenzie, a Collection Manager of Marine Invertebrates at Museums Victoria in Melbourne, is living and working on board the BAS research ship RRS James Clark Ross for the …

SCIENCE IN THE SEA: The adventure begins

22 February, 2018 by Rowan Whittle

British Antarctic Survey (BAS) palaeobiologist Dr Rowan Whittle is a member of the Larsen C Benthos research cruise onboard the RRS James Clark Ross. Rowan’s primary role is to assist …

A group of people on a boat in the water.

SCIENCE IN THE SEA – Part 4: Sea ice and science

28 December, 2017 by Ryan Scott

Following the glider deployments our next destination was Rothera, the UK’s biggest Antarctic research station on Adelaide Island. Good progress was made until we hit the sea ice – 120 …

SCIENCE IN THE SEA – Part 2: Busy biologists!

12 December, 2017 by Ryan Scott

First thing I learn as I begin my trip aboard the RRS James Clark Ross is that, scientist on research cruises need to be able to adapt quickly! Within two …

SCIENCE IN THE SEA – Part 1: Journey to the JCR!

29 November, 2017 by Ryan Scott

After 6 days, 9505 miles and 7 mm of beard growth, the cruise has officially started! Thursday 16th November and finally the time had come for me start my journey …

Shedding light on lanternfish

25 January, 2017 by Geraint Tarling

By Dr Geraint Tarling Lanternfish are found in many of the world’s oceans and get their name from the numerous photophores (light organs) that occur all over their bodies. Also …

Drake Passage Blog

24 November, 2016 by Yvonne Firing

Follow ORCHESTRA project scientist Yvonne Firing’s amazing fieldwork blog from the Southern Ocean here. On the 2016/2017 Drake Passage cruise on the RRS James Clark Ross, we sail south from …

Diary of a doctor at sea

16 November, 2016 by Helen Jones

New blog from ship’s doctor Helen Jones as RRS James Clark Ross arrives at Signy research station in the South Orkney Islands Well, and what a wonderful couple of days …

SHIP BLOG: Sea ice, science, and wildlife

10 April, 2016 by Dani Jones

Investigating the Southern Ocean Oceanographers Dan Jones and Erik MacKie are onboard the RRS James Clark Ross carrying out a hydrographic survey in the Southern Ocean as part of a …

Angelika brandt et al. standing around a table.

SHIP BLOG: Heading for home

31 March, 2016 by Susie Grant

The ship’s science labs have all been packed up and cleaned, kit boxes stowed in the container, cargo paperwork finished and cruise reports written. The SO-AntEco team is ready to …

A group of people working on a large boat

SHIP BLOG: Rhythm of the night

25 March, 2016 by Hilary Blagbrough

Oh look it’s snowing/raining and getting dark… it must be time for the Night Shift. I’m Hilary, the night shift leader on the SO-AntEco scientific cruise to the South Orkney …

A group of people standing in front of a crowd posing for the camera.

SHIP BLOG: Science Week questions answered from the Southern Ocean

23 March, 2016 by Susie Grant

Last week was UK Science Week, and we asked schools and anyone else who had burning questions about the Antarctic deep sea to send them to us here on the …

A group of people that are standing in the rain.

SHIP BLOG: Lost in a Sea of Biology

16 March, 2016 by Laura Robinson

Lost in a Sea of Biology! Dr Laura Robinson is interested in documenting and understanding the processes that govern climate on time scales ranging from the modern day back through hundreds of …

SHIP BLOG: New Buoy at Sea!

5 March, 2016 by Oliver Ashford

New ‘buoy’ at sea Oliver Ashford – a PhD student from Oxford University – is the youngest member of the SO-AntEco research cruise onboard the RRS James Clark Ross. He’s working with …

ANTARCTIC BLOG: preparation is everything

15 February, 2016 by Huw Griffiths

As the days count down towards departure the dreams about forgetting my passport at the airport become more frequent. My office in Cambridge is a long way from the Antarctic …

ANTARCTIC BLOG: Signy season gets underway!

12 February, 2016 by Alex Taylor

Despite being one of BAS’s smallest stations, I would argue that Signy is one of the most remote. Situated in the South Orkney Islands, at a relatively northerly 60 degrees …

A group of people riding skis on a body of water.

GUEST BLOG: Ready for Antarctic trip number five!

21 October, 2015 by Sian Henley

Find out about NERC Research Fellow Dr Sian Henley’s preparations for her fifth visit to Rothera Research Station and what she looks forward to onboard the RRS James Clark Ross.

RRS James Clark Ross sold

19 August, 2021

After 30 years of service with British Antarctic Survey the RRS James Clark Ross has been sold to the Ukrainian National Antarctic Scientific Centre. This is the second time that …

Antarctic homecoming – RRS James Clark Ross arrives in Harwich for the final time

29 March, 2021

The RRS James Clark Ross arrived in Harwich yesterday, completing its final season with British Antarctic Survey. After 30 years of service, the ship will soon be sold. The ship …

Large red ship in a body of water with rocks in the foreground

RRS James Clark Ross makes final call to Falkland Islands

1 March, 2021

Today (Monday 1 March 2021) the RRS James Clark Ross (JCR) makes her final call to her home port of the Falkland Islands. After 30 years of service, the JCR will be sold at the end of her 20/21 Antarctic season. …

RRS James Clark Ross departs Antarctica for the final time

23 February, 2021

On Friday 19 February 2021 the RRS James Clark Ross made her final call to Rothera Research Station. After 30 years of service, the JCR will be sold at the end of the …

BAS field season underway

8 January, 2021

The BAS field season is underway. Since the RRS James Clark Ross departed the UK in November last year, it has safely delivered summer and wintering staff and essential cargo …

Festive Greetings from BAS!

18 December, 2020

Staff at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) ships and research stations prepare to celebrate the festive season. It’s been a year like no other, with extraordinary arrangements made to keep facilities …

RRS James Clark Ross on route to Antarctica

15 December, 2020

UPDATE 15/12/2020: Opening Signy Research Station RRS James Clark Ross arrived at Signy Island on 15 December. Signy Island is one of the remote South Orkney Islands, which lie more …

A beach with a mountain in the background.

BAS feeds into designation of new ocean sanctuary

13 November, 2020

The UK Prime Minister has announced today (Friday 13 November) a new Marine Protected Zone around the overseas territory of the island of Tristan da Cunha. The move is part …

End of Antarctic field season 2020 – repatriation

7 April, 2020

Exceptional plans to repatriate our people at the end of the Antarctic summer field season

A group of people on a beach near a body of water.

Invading species ‘hitches a ride’ on kelp to reach Antarctica

31 January, 2020

Large brown seaweed can bring invasive species to Antarctica, according to research published today (31 January 2020) in the journal Scientific Reports. The new study describes the first scientific evidence …

Boaty McBoatface (Autosub Long Range) at its first Antarctic deployment into the Weddell Sea off RRS James Clark Ross

Boaty McBoatface sheds light on warming ocean abyss

18 June, 2019

The debut mission involving the autonomous submarine Autosub Long Range – affectionately known as Boaty McBoatface – has for the first time shed light on a key process linking increasing …

Scientists map ‘deepest’ parts of Southern Ocean

22 March, 2019

A team of researchers led by British Antarctic Survey has for the first time mapped the deepest part of the South Sandwich Trench in the Southern Ocean. This part of …

State of the Polar Oceans report published

18 July, 2018

Report published July 2018

A train on a track with smoke coming out of it.

Prestigious international award for oceanographer

30 April, 2018

Professor Mike Meredith wins prize

Success in the South Atlantic

26 April, 2018

A team of scientists on board the RRS James Clark Ross (JCR) has conducted marine biodiversity research around the Island of St Helena with a team of UK based and …

Research cruise heading to study South Atlantic islands

16 March, 2018

The RRS James Clark Ross left the Falkland Islands yesterday (15th March) and is travelling towards Tristan Da Cunha, with expected arrival on the 22nd March. The vessel will survey …

First expedition to newly exposed Antarctic ecosystem

12 February, 2018

A team of scientists, led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), heads to Antarctica this week (14 February) to investigate a mysterious marine ecosystem that’s been hidden beneath an Antarctic ice …

How much carbon can polar seafloor ecosystems store?

26 June, 2017

One of the best-known impacts of climate change is the loss of sea ice in the Arctic, but also in parts of the Antarctic: the poles are increasingly turning from …

The first dive of Boaty McBoatface

7 April, 2017

The unmanned submersible Boaty McBoatface was deployed in the Antarctic for the first time.

Ice cap once covered sub-antarctic island of South Georgia

17 March, 2017

A new study reveals the sub-antarctic island of South Georgia – famous for its wildlife – was covered by a massive ice cap during the last ice age. The results …

NOC's Autosub Long Range with its hood off for preparation work.

Boaty McBoatface sub prepares for first Antarctic mission

13 March, 2017

Boaty McBoatface is joining ocean scientists from the University of Southampton and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) on an expedition to study some of the deepest and coldest abyssal ocean waters …

Scientists explain how meltwater reaches ocean depths

30 January, 2017

An international team of researchers has discovered why fresh water, melted from Antarctic ice sheets, is often detected below the surface of the ocean, rather than rising to the top …

New field season begins

29 November, 2016

As spring returns to the southern hemisphere British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has started another research season which will take them over land, sea and ice in search of answers to …

Ship assists satellite missions

26 September, 2016

On 20 September 2016 the British Antarctic Survey ship, the RRS James Clark Ross, set sail on its long voyage from Immingham in the UK to Stanley in the Falkland …

Krill are at the lower end of the Southern Ocean food chain

Nature’s ocean fertiliser

20 September, 2016

Scientists have discovered that Antarctic krill – a tiny shrimp-like crustacean – plays a key role in fertilising the Southern Ocean with iron, which stimulates the growth of phytoplankton, the …

Subantarctic seabed creatures and past climate

1 September, 2016

A new marine biodiversity study in one of the largest Marine Protected Areas in the world reveals the impact of environmental change on subantarctic seabed animals and answers big questions …

Ocean warming primary cause of glacier retreat

14 July, 2016

A new study has found for the first time that ocean warming is the primary cause of retreat of glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula. The Peninsula is one of the largest current contributors to sea-level rise and this new finding will enable researchers to make better predictions of ice loss from this region.