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Henson Arrives in Fortaleza for Oceanographic-Southern Partnership Station 2010

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100323-17
Release Date: 3/23/2010 8:02:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lily Daniels, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. Fourth Fleet Public Affairs

FORTALEZA, Brazil (NNS) -- Military Sealift Command oceanographic survey ship USNS Henson (T-AGS 63) arrived in Fortaleza, Brazil to begin the second portion of Oceanographic-Southern Partnership Station (O-SPS) 2010 with the Brazilian Navy March 23.

Henson stopped briefly at the Port of Fortaleza to pick up nine Brazilian sailors before setting sail to begin at-sea bilateral exercises. Nine U.S. Navy civilians from Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) and four Sailors from Fleet Survey Team (FST) will demonstrate elements from different types of surveys for the Brazilian sailors while out to sea.

"We will be demonstrating elements from three different surveys in the areas of physical oceanography, bathymetry and hydrography," said Danielle Bryant, oceanographer for NAVOCEANO. "Fleet Survey Team will be demonstrating expeditionary techniques."

Henson is one of seven oceanographic survey ships belonging to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command and operated for the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. The 329-foot ship is equipped with two hydrographic survey launches and expeditionary survey vehicles (ESV). Their equipment includes multi-beam sounders, sidescan sonar and GPS systems.

The ship will survey about 130 nautical miles from the Port of Fortaleza. It will return to the port later in the week to process and present the information at workshops.

The workshops feature subject matter expert exchanges from members of the U.S. Fleet Numerical Meteorology Oceanography Center, NAVOCEANO, FST and Brazil's Directorate of Hydrograph and Navigation. The topics will range from remote sensing, fleet support and numerical modeling, ocean and coastal modeling, bathymetry, magnetometry to geodesy and tides.

"The workshops allow us to engage in discussions with a broader audience including university students," said Bruce Stier, senior NAVOCEANO representative.

This engagement provides a framework demonstrating how both navies perform their oceanographic and hydrographic surveys while sharing expertise and information regarding techniques. During the process, the scientists and Sailors gain a better understanding for each other's military and cultural customs.

Henson recently completed the first portion of O-SPS with the Colombian Navy.

Southern Partnership Station is a recurring deployment conducted by Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (COMUSNAVSO) and U.S. 4th Fleet with a variety of different objectives.

COMUSNAVSO is the naval component command for U.S. Southern Command and is responsible for all Naval personnel and assets in the area of responsibility. COMUSNAVSO conducts a variety of missions in support of the Maritime Strategy, including Theater Security Cooperation, relationship building, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, community relations, and counter-illicit trafficking operations.