South Africa awards STX contract for Polar supply/research vessel

STX Finland Oy and the South African Department of Environmental Affairs have signed a contract for the construction of a Polar supply and research vessel. The ship, valued at a cost of approximately EUR 116 million, will be build in the Rauma shipyard and is scheduled for delivery in spring 2012.

The vessel will function as a multi-purpose ship, serving, among other things, as a supply vessel, research vessel, icebreaker, expedition vessel, as well as a passenger ship. The ice-strengthened vessel will be approximately 134 metres long and will have accommodation for a crew of 45 and some 100 researchers or passengers.

The newbuilding will be used to carry scientists and research equipment for the South African National Antarctic Programme in the sea area between South Africa, the Antarctic islands and Antarctica. The ship will be able to spend several months at sea and will also acts as a mobile laboratory where scientists can conduct various marine research onboard.

Furthermore, the vessel will keep continuous record of weather data for meteorological institutions around the world. It will have a shelter and landing area for two Puma class helicopters and will feature laboratories, a gym, a library, and a small hospital.

Timo Suistio, Director of the Rauma shipyard, said: “This is one of the biggest individual civil trade agreements the Finnish industry has made with South Africa. Furthermore, the agreement will naturally have a positive effect on the employment at the Rauma shipyard. The design work on the new research vessel will commence immediately and the ship will enter production in September 2010.”

Henry Valentine, Director: Antarctica and Islands, said “The new ship, apart from its supply function, will be a catalyst to rebuild the deep-sea oceanography capacity in South Africa. This would also attract participation of international scientists and researchers, thus significantly contributing to research projects addressing new challenges and changing interests, for instance, climate change research.”

STX Finland won, in a long and hard competition process, the building project of this new expedition ship. Of the shipyards involved in the final stage, the customer considered STX Finland’s offer the best in terms of both technical solutions and price.