Korea?s first icebreaking RV launched

South Korea’s first icebreaking research vessel ?Araon’ has recently been launched at Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction shipyard in Busan City. The research vessel is expected to be used for the exploration activities in the Antarctic and accelerate the establishment of South Korea’s second Antarctic institute.

The newbuilding will be delivered to the King Sejong Station on King George Island, Antarctica, the research center for the Korea Antarctic Research Program at the end of September. Upon delivery, the ship will go through trial operations until the end of this year after which it will carry out research support activities in earnest next year.

The 6,950-ton class icebreaking research vessel was ordered by the Korea Polar Research Institute for a total of KRW 104bn ($83m) and will be the nation’s first icebreaking research vessel. Shipbuilding cost stands at KRW 75.4bn while research equipment costing KRW 28.6bn. The ship has a length of 110m, breadth of 19m with a cruising speed of up to 16 knots.