It is my great pleasure to inform you that delivery of RV Investigator took place yesterday in Singapore.

Australia’s new Marine National Facility (MNF) research vessel, Investigator, will soon sail for its home port of Hobart.  We are aiming to have the vessel in Hobart by 10 September, noting that the actual date may vary depending on its physical departure from Singapore, the weather en route, and/or possible minor delays in AQIS/Customs clearance upon arrival in arrival in Australian waters.  Planning will now commence for a welcome to port ceremony.

It has taken almost 10 years, an injection of funding from the Commonwealth for $120 million, and the dedication and hard work of many to have reached this milestone. At this point I would like to acknowledge the patience and good will demonstrated by Australia’s marine science community.

In early September, the MNF Steering Committee will meet to determine the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 voyage scheduling.

Although the timing of delivery has been delayed longer than any of us had expected, the project remains on budget, on scope and with ~ 3 million man hours worked without a lost time injury.  I offer my sincere appreciation to the dedicated FRV teams in Australia and Singapore for working so hard to achieve this outcome.

I look forward to keeping you informed with future developments as we enter into a new era in marine and atmospheric research for Australian scientists and their international collaborators.

Best wishes

 

Toni Moate CPA GAICD
Executive Director, Future Research Vessel Project