RV Odyssey Explorer

R/V Odyssey Explorer (front) and the RFA Argus, Falmouth, England
Career (Bahamas)
Name:	Odyssey Explorer
Owner:	Odyssey Retriever Inc.[1] (Odyssey Marine Exploration)
Operator:	Marr Vessel Management Ltd.[1]
Port of registry:	Bahamas
Acquired:	August 7, 2003[2]
Homeport:	Nassau, Bahamas
Identification:	IMO number: Call sign: C60S4[2] MMSI number: 309814000[2]
Status:	in active service, as of 2015
Notes:	Use: Rescue/Salvage Ship
Career
Name:	Farnella, later Northern Prince
Owner:	Farnella Ltd., later Northern Prince Ltd.[1]
Builder:	Clelands Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.[1]
Launched:	1972
Renamed:	April 1, 1994
Homeport:	Driffield, East Yorkshire, England
Identification:	IMO number: 7125811
Notes:	Use: Deep-sea freight transport
General characteristics
Tonnage:	1,431 GT,[1] 509 NT,[1] 1,697 gross register tons (GRT),[2] 612 t DWT[2]
Length:	70.2 m (230 ft) LWL 76 m (249 ft) LOA
Beam:	12.65 m (41.5 ft)
Draft:	8.11 m (26.6 ft)
Speed:	max 9.3 kn (17.2 km/h; 10.7 mph)

The R/V Odyssey Explorer is a salvage and recovery vessel owned by Odyssey Marine Exploration.

Dispute

On October 16, 2007, Spain seized the vessel, Odyssey Explorer owned by Odyssey Marine Exploration as it sailed out of port from the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Odyssey Explorer captain, Sterling Vorus, claimed to have been in International Waters, but was forced to dock at Algeciras under what Vorus declared was "threat of deadly force." Once in port, Vorus was eventually arrested for disobedience after refusing inspection of the vessel without first receiving approval of Odyssey Explorer's flag state, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Vorus was released the following day. Aboard the Odyssey Explorer at the time of seizure, were about a dozen journalists and photographers, all of which had their video tapes, tape recorders, and computer memory storage devices seized by Spanish officials.^[3]

See also

• Archaeology of shipwrecks
• Maritime archeology
• Underwater archeology
• Wreck diving

References