STX Finland Oy and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of the Republic of Namibia have signed a contract for the construction of a fisheries research vessel.
The ship, with a contract value of approximately EUR 35 million, will bring some 250 man-years of labour to STX Finland's Rauma shipyard, with delivery scheduled for spring 2012.
This versatile, specialised vessel will be approximately 62m long and will provide accommodation for 45 crew members and research personnel.
The modern and innovative research vessel is specifically designed for the purposes of Namibian fisheries research. The vessel meets the latest standards set for this type of vessels requiring, in particular, special care in the design of laboratory equipment, propulsion and power generation system. The vessel also has very high overall technical standards and special attention has been given to the vessel's serviceability and low maintenance costs. Furthermore, the ship features a dynamic positioning system and it is operational in any African sea and weather condition in all seasons with no restrictions.
The tasks of the research vessel include monitoring of fish stock, as well as sorting, processing, freezing and storing fish. The vessel will also be used for collecting biological samples for seabed research and analysis and provide assistance for control of fishing. The vessel also features facilities for meteorological research.
