Operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) since 1964, the Alvin was the first of its kind capable of carrying passengers. The Alvin has made over 4,600 dives and has allowed for crucial geological, biological, geophysical, and chemical studies. In 1986, the Alvin made 12 dives to the RMS Titanic to take photographs of the wreck. Today, the state-of-the-art submersible makes between 150 and 200 dives a year, at a cost of around $30,000 per day.

• Type: Deep Sea Submersible
• Tonnage: 17 tons
• Length: 7.1 m
• Payload: 680 kg
• Beam: 2.6 m
• In service: June 5, 1964