A few weeks ago we took a short breather and had this photo taken.
These are just some of the talented and dedicated teams involved in the design, construction and commissioning of Australia’s new Marine National Facility research vessel, Investigator.
About 60 per cent of Australian territory is ocean, but only 12 per cent of this area has been mapped. Research is vital to the responsible development and management of the ocean, and to understanding its influence in the region and around the world.
The 93.9 m RV Investigator will provide a safe and technically advanced, mobile research platform. It will operate from the tropical north to the Antarctic ice-edge and across the Indian, Southern, and Pacific oceans, greatly improving Australia’s capacity to:
- investigate, assess and develop geological resources;
- detect and predict changes in the ocean environment and their implications for weather and climate; and
- characterise and manage marine ecosystems, biodiversity and fisheries.
In May 2009, the Australian Government dedicated $120 million for a new ocean-going research vessel to replace the present Marine National Facility Research Vessel Southern Surveyor.
