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The Bold was built by the Tacoma Boat Building Company of Tacoma, Washington, as a Tactical Auxiliary General Ocean Survey (T-AGOS) vessel. This ship was first commissioned in 1989 by the U.S. Navy as the USNS Vigorous. The vessel was later renamed the USNS Bold. The ship served on many surveillance missions. The Navy decommissioned the USNS Bold in 2004, when the ship was transferred to EPA. The Bold's large back deck and stable platform was perfectly suited for marine science expeditions. EPA has converted the Bold to an Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) to replace EPA's aging and much smaller ocean survey vessel, the Peter W. Anderson. The Bold helps EPA scientists to conduct experiments and gather data that help us to understand the condition of our oceans and coastal areas.
Before the BOLD proudly wore the bright green and blue colors of EPA, it went about its Navy duties in battleship grey. Check out the transformation!
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