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R/V Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe Tracker

Track the voyages of Monmouth University’s newest and largest research vessel, the Heidi Lynn Sculthorpe, in real time with the map above, provided by MarineTraffic.com. Captained by UCI Marine Scientist Jim Nickels, the Heidi Lynn can regularly be seen cruising New Jersey-New York area waters carrying classes and conducting research trips. (Download vessel fact sheet.)

About AIS

Like an E-Z Pass transponder signals to toll booths on the highway, Automatic Identification System (AIS) technology aboard the Heidi Lynn transmits its position to receivers on land and nearby vessels. Initially created post-9/11 for security purposes, AIS is now commonly used for maritime safety, ocean planning, environmental protection, fishing enforcement and much more. The UCI works with its partners on the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal project to create maps illustrating vessel traffic each year based on data collected from AIS-equipped vessels. Read a story map about the origins and uses of AIS by the UCI’s Karl Vilacoba.