Stern of the Kilo Moana
History
United States
Name	Kilo Moana
Owner	Office of Naval Research
Builder	Atlantic_Marine , Mobile, Alabama
Laid down	9 February 2001
Launched	17 November 2001
Acquired	by the U.S. Navy, 3 September 2003; by the University of Hawaii on 3 September 2003
Identification	IMO number: 9229037 MMSI number: 369565000 Callsign: WDA7827 Hawaii: HA 0532 XS
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Kilo Moana-class oceanographic research ship
Tonnage	3,060 gross tonnage (GT)
Displacement	2,547 long tons (2,588 t) at 25 ft (7.6 m) draft
Length	186 ft (57 m)
Beam	88 ft (27 m)
Draft	25 ft (7.6 m) (max), 23 ft (7.0 m) (min)
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) (max)
Range	10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Endurance	50 days food/stores/FW
Capacity	fuel: 130,000 US gal (490,000 L; 110,000 imp gal)
Crew	20 plus 28 scientists

RV Kilo Moana (AGOR-26) is a small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) oceanographic research ship owned by the US Navy and operated by the University of Hawaii as a part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) fleet.^[1] She was designed to operate in coastal and blue water areas. The unique SWATH hull-form provides a comfortable, stable platform in high sea conditions.

In January 2012 Kilo Moana began taking on water from a baseball sized hole in her hull.^{[clarification needed]} The crew of the vessel along with the United States Coast Guard were able to temporarily plug the hole and pump out the flooded spaces. She returned to her homeport of Honolulu safely and entered emergency drydock to repair the damaged hull.^{[citation needed]}

On 20 November 2019, the ship rescued a French-flagged sail catamaran Thetis. That ship with a crew of four was transiting the Austral Islands in French Polynesia when she began to take on water. The American vessel was able to fabricate parts needed to restore watertight integrity and the Thetis was able to continue her passage.^[2]

Construction

Kilo Moana was built by Atlantic Marine Jacksonville, Florida, for the Office of Naval Research. She was laid down on 9 February 2001 and launched on 17 November 2001. On 3 September 2003 Kilo Moana was delivered to the Navy as a Kilo Moana-class oceanographic research ship and leased to the University of Hawaii on the same day.