UK orders new scientific research ship

The UK’s leading environmental research organisation has commissioned a 6,300 tonne displacement scientific research ship to replace the RRS Discovery which was built in 1962 and is coming to the end of its useful scientific working life. The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) awarded the newbuilding contract to the Vigo-based Spanish shipyard C.N.P. Freire SA for delivery in summer 2013. The ship’s design will allow it to work in higher sea states, complementing the work of NERC’s other research vessel, the RRS James Cook. “This new research ship will provide a state-of-the-art platform for researchers to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues,” chief executive of the NERC, Professor Alan Thorpe, said. “It will enable them to make measurements of the oceans leading to vital evidence regarding climate change, marine ecosystems and underwater earthquakes and landslides, which will, in turn, deliver significant economic and societal benefits.” With a length of 99.7m, a breadth of 18m and a draught of 6.5m, the newbuilding will take over the name RRS Discovery and will be operated by NERC’s National Marine Facilities Division, based at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton. The new vessel is based on the Skipsteknisk design ST-344; the same Norwegian naval architect firm which designed the 2006 built RRS James Cook. The whole project will cost £75 million to bring the new ship into service. The new vessel is arranged for research tasks on large ocean-depths, and will operate world wide when it is completed in 2013. The vessel will have accommodation for 52 persons (24 crew and 28 scientists) and have latest research ship technology installed. Skipsteknisk will perform the class and basic design of the ship while detailed design and workshop drawings will be done by the shipbuilder. The diesel electric power plant will comprise four 1,550kW gensets driving two 2.2MW azimuthing stern thrusters, a 1,700kW bow thruster and a 1,350kW retractable azimuth thruster. With a maximum speed of 15 knots, the ship’s design will enable it to maintain a service speed of 12 knots in head seas at sea state 4.

In 2009 Freire was awarded a contract to construct an oceanographic vessel for the Qatar University for delivery in April 2011.