Throughout its lifetime, R/V Dana has been continuously updated and modernized.
The laboratory design has proven itself extremely well-suited for solving a wide range of tasks. Add careful maintenance and modernization, and as a result, R/V DANAs lab facilities rank among the best. Laboratories include a (1) wet fish laboratory with transportation belt, fume hood and high-quality heave-compensated scales, (2) a dry fish laboratory with stereo microscopes, PCs, freezer, (3) two chemistry laboratories with fume hoods, a wide range of analysis instruments, oven, refrigerator, freezer, computers etc., and (4) a dedicated 14C lab.
Computer facilities are fully updated. A 100 Mbps network connects all scientific computers and instruments on the ship (cabins have 10 Mbps connections). Data are secured and stored online after being buffered on two 180 GB hard drives. Laboratory PCs are continuously renewed.
Communications systems include GMDSS station (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System), Inmarsat B equipment for satellite e-mail, fax & telephony (world wide except polar regions), Inmarsat C satellite equipment for telex, fax & e-mail (world wide except polar regions), Iridium satellite equipment for telephony (world wide), HF radio communication equipment for telex & telephony (world wide), MF & VHF radio communication equipment for telephony in coastal areas (medium range); GSM mobile telephone is available for use in coastal areas (short range). A fast radio data link for transferring data to the land-based data network is available at Hirtshals harbour.
All navigation equipment is state of the art and is constantly updated. For both security and scientific reasons, all vital systems are duplicated. The navigation equipment currently includes: 4 radars (2 x X band radars + 2 x Y band radars), all fitted with anti-collision systems (ARPA), 2 GPS satellite position receivers, 2 gyro compasses fitted with slave compasses + autopilot, Poscon maneuvering system—controls variable pitch propeller and side thrusters, AIS equipment, ECDIS equipment (Transas Navi Sailor electronic sea chart), 2 fishery plotters (Shipmate & Sodena), echo sounder 50 kHz, fax weather chart receiver, Doppler log, electromagnetic log, scanning type sonar, Navtex, MF radio direction finder—visual type, VHF radio direction finder.
The scientific equipment includes a Simrad EK60 18, 38, and 120 kHz split beam echo sounder with BI60 integrator software, a dual system SeaBird SBE911 CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth) sonde equipped with state-of-the-art sensors for fluorescence, oxygen, PAR and distance to seabed.