Following a rigorous procurement process undertaken by the CSIRO, Teekay Holdings Australia Pty Ltd was awarded the contract in January 2011 to design, build and commission the new vessel.
The vessel is being designed by RALion (Robert Allan Ltd and Alion Science and Technology) from USA and Canada and is to be built by Sembawang Shipyard Pte. Ltd. at Singapore.
As a condition of their approved Australian Industry Participation Plan, Teekay will ensure Australian suppliers and expertise are used where possible.
The process will take 28 months, with the ship scheduled to begin operating by mid 2013. Given the name RV Investigator after a national naming competition, the 89-metre ship will accommodate 40 scientists and cover 10 000 nautical miles in each voyage.
The vessel will be used by Australian universities, research organisations and their international collaborators to undertake vital marine research that will inform our sustainable ocean management practices.
Photos from the Future Research Vessel (FRV) contract signing event held on the 17 January 2011 at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Laboratories, Hobart, Tasmania.
