History, construction and equipment of LITTORINA

The research cutter “LITTORINA” was built in 1975 by the Julius Dietrich shipyard in Oldersum and put into service on June 27, 1975. The construction costs of DM 3.4 million were borne by the German Research Foundation. The ship was to be used as part of the then Collaborative Research Center 95 (Interaction between sea and ocean floor) and was intended to cover the high charter costs for external ships that had been incurred up to that time. After the "SFB 95" came to an end, the cutter was taken over by the Christian Albrechts University for management by the then IFM-GEOMAR (now the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel) and can now be used for all areas of marine research and sampling in shallow water up to a depth of 500 meters. 

Due to the installation of a diving room with compressor and the equipment with 12 complete diving sets as well as a working inflatable boat with a 50 HP outboard motor, the training courses and work of the research diving group of the Center for Geosciences at the CAU are mainly carried out from the “LITTORINA”. 

The name “Littorina” symbolizes the cooperation between marine biologists and marine geologists. Littorina littorea is one of the most common marine gastropods and the “lead fossil” for an earlier Baltic Sea stage, the so-called “LITTORINA Sea” from approx. 8,500 to approx. 2,500 years before the present day.  

The use of a modern computer with the networked Decca navigation systems, two DGPS systems and the connected LAZ 4700 echo sounder system makes it possible to map the seabed with a maximum error in position of approx. 15 meters using a specially written program. The calculated charts can be drawn and interpreted in color on board using a DIN A3 plotter or a printer. 

The cutter can accommodate up to 12 passengers on board for day trips and up to 6 passengers for multi-day trips. The “small-scale deep-sea fishing” cruising area allows the cutter to carry out research work in the entire Baltic Sea and North Sea, the English Channel and on the Norwegian coast as far as the Lofoten Islands. 

A collection tank with a capacity of 6 tons for waste water and faeces with a faeces disinfection system ensures that no untreated waste water is discharged into the sea. 

For communication with other ships and shore stations, two UkW marine radio systems, a border and short-wave radio system and a cell phone of the D1 network are available. A fax machine is connected for the transfer of maps and data material and an e-mail address littorina(at)geomar.de has been set up, which can be accessed from the sea. 

A 10-foot laboratory container extends the laboratory capacity by 8 square meters, but can be taken off board if a large, free deck area is required.