Just over a year ago construction of Australia’s Marine National Facility (MNF) research vessel Investigator, began with flat sheets of steel, and now the blue-water research vessel looks amazing.

As part of our celebration of World Oceans Day on 8 June, we thought you’d like to see this great time lapse video that’s captured some of the hard work that’s been going on!

RV Investigator complete time-lapse video transcript

The 93.9 metre Investigator has room onboard for up to 40 scientists, who can stay at sea for up to 60 days and cover up to 10,000 nautical miles in a single voyage. The new ship will replace the MNF’s current vessel, Southern Surveyor, later this year.

In 2009 the Australian Government committed AU$120 million to the purchase of a new research vessel for the MNF. The project is an initiative of the Australian Government being conducted as part of the Super Science Initiative and financed from the Education Investment Fund.

Sea time onboard Australia’s MNF research vessel is available to all Australian scientists. The MNF is operated by CSIRO on behalf of the nation.