Vos Vessel Outline
The Vos vessels participating in the observations by equipping the surface water monitoring system are the Asian seas Vos vessel (shipfs identification -01 and -03), the Japan-Australia Vos vessel (shipfs identification -02), and the coastal Japan Vos vessel (shipfs identification -04).


Asian seas
Fukuyama, Japan-Nansei Shoto-South China Sea-Gulf of Thailand-Southeast Asian port(s)-East China Sea-Fukuyama
Japan-Australia area
Hekinan (Aichi, Japan)-00n144e approx.-Solomon Sea-Coral Sea-East Australia, Hekinan-Celebes Sea-East Kalimantan, both round trip

The outline of the Asian seas Vos vessel (-01 and -03 vessel)
The first Asian seas Vos vessel (-01 vessel) had deployed the equipment from Sept. 2001 to April 2009, which has been succeeded to the second vessel (-03 vessel) from August 2009 to July 2014.

Sea surface temperature (from Oct. 2002) and salinity (from Sept. 2001) are observed. Chlorophyll fluorescence had also been measured during June 2002 and November 2005.

Data are collected with the cooperation from the shipper and the operator, the ship owner, officers and crew of the vessels, and other parties involved in the vesselfs operations.


Asian seas Vos vessel
The First Vessel Sept. 2001 - Apr. 2009
Vessel type Double decker cargo vessel
Principal particulars 105.5m Loa x 19.0m B x 13.5mD, about 9,500dwt with navigation speed of 13kt, draft at full load 9.05m
Basic service route Fukuyama, Japan - Bangsaphan, Thailand
Operated by JFE Logistics Corp., Tokyo, Japan
Shipper JFE Steel Corporation
The Second Vessel Aug. 2009 - Jul. 2014
Vessel type Double decker cargo vessel
Principal particulars 97.6m Loa x 18.8m B x 13.0mD, about 9,100dwt with navigation speed of 13.25kt, draft at full load 9.2m
Basic service route Fukuyama, Japan - Asian countries
Operated by (until@Sept. 2011) JFE Logistics Corp., Tokyo, Japan
Shipper@(until@Sept. 2011) JFE Steel Corporation

After Sept. 2011, the vessel continued the underway measurements in Asian seas by the cooperation from the shipper, Noma Shipping Co., Ltd.
The outline of the Japan-Australia Vos vessel (-02 vessel; Aug. 2002 - Jan. 2017)
The Japan-Australia Vos vessel transports the coal for the power plant of Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. in Hekinan, Aichi, Japan, mainly from the east coast of Australia and East Kalimantan, Indonesia, as a coal carrier of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Data are collected with the cooperation from Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., the shipper for the vessel, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. as the operator of the Vos vessel, Taiyo Nippon Kisen Co., Ltd. as the manager of the vessel operation, officers and crew, and other related parties.

Japan-Australia Vos vessel
Vessel Type Coal carrier
Principal particulars 249.9m Loa x 43.0m B x 18.7mD, about 89,000dwt with navigation speed of 14kt, draft at full load 11.8m
Service Route Hekinan(Aichi, Japan)-East coast of Australia, and Hekinan-East Kalimantan
Operated by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Shipper Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.

The outline of the Coastal Japan Vos vessel (-04 vessel; Since Sept. 2017)

The coastal Japan Vos vessel is eHimawari 8f, a RoRo vessel servicing between Tokyo and Tomakomai/Kushiro, Hokkaido. Data are collected with the cooperation from Nippon Express Co., Ltd., the owner and the operator, shipfs officers and crew, and other parties involved in the vesselfs operations.

CoastalJapan Vos vessel
Vessel Type RoRo vessel
Principal particulars 166.9m Loa x 27.0m B x 23.27mD, about 10,620dwt with navigation speed of about 23kt, draft at full load 6.85m
Service Route Tokyo Bay - Port of Tomakomai/Kushiro, Japan
Owned and Operated by Nippon Express Co., Ltd.