The JOIDES Resolution in deep waters.

Photo courtesy of Transocean.

The JOIDES Resolution carries as much as
30,000 feet of drill pipe.

The lab stack is visible in front of the ship's towering derrick.

The JOIDES Resolution has sailed over 590,000 km (390,000 mi), visiting 703 sites. During her expeditions, 1901 holes were drilled and 37,641 cores were recovered. The total length of those core samples adds up to 236 km (147 mi)!

The JOIDES Resolution’s drill rig derrick (tower) rises above the ship to about the same height as a twenty-story building. Beneath the drill rig is an open area called the moon pool. It is a 7 m (23 ft) wide hole that goes right through the hull of the ship. During drilling operations, the drill string (pipe) is lowered through this opening.

A seven-level research area called the lab stack provides over 1114 m² (12,000 ft²) of space including ten laboratories. These are the levels, moving in order from the bottom up:

The Hold Deck contains general cold storage and a wood shop.

The Lower ‘Tween Deck is the location of refrigerated storage for core samples and a lab called the “Second Look” lab. This is where scientists examine core samples that have been put in cold storage. A well-equipped gymnasium can also be found on this floor!

The Upper ‘Tween Deck is shared by the electronics shop and the photography lab.

The Main Deck is where the crew meets for business as well as to relax or watch a movie. It is the home of the computer center, the computer user room, the science lounge, and the offices of the people who are responsible for preserving the cores and writing reports.

Sunset from the ship's fantail. Photo courtesy of IODP.

The Fo’c’sle Deck houses five laboratories: paleontology, chemistry, microscope, thin section, and x-ray.

The Bridge Deck is where core handling, sampling, and description take place. Two more laboratories are on this level: physical properties and paleomagnetics.

The Lab Stack Top contains the downhole measurement and thin section laboratories, as well as a conference room.

Data about the ship’s position, the depth of the water, and other information is gathered at the fantail (Poop Deck), below the helicopter landing pad at the back of the ship.

The living quarters for crew and scientists are located in the forward (front) section of the ship. They include rooms for two or four people, a library, dining facilities, a hospital, and a conference room.

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