RV Heincke

RV Heincke is a medium-sized research vessel operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). Commissioned in 1990 and extensively modernized in later years, the vessel supports multidisciplinary marine research primarily in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and adjacent North Atlantic regions.

The approximately 55-m-long vessel is designed for oceanographic, biological, and fisheries research in shelf seas and coastal environments. A variety of deck equipment, winches, and cranes enable the deployment of sampling gear such as nets, CTD rosettes, sediment corers, and benthic instruments.

RV Heincke typically accommodates up to 12 scientists alongside a crew of about 10. With flexible laboratory spaces and the capability for expeditions lasting several days to a few weeks, the vessel provides an important platform for regional marine research, monitoring programs, and technology testing.