A 30-year-old Finnish marine research vessel will undergo a renovation to make it more environmentally friendly.
Modernisation work on cold water vessel Aranda is intended to ensure it can function until the 2030s and reduce its environmental impact and operating costs.
Juha Flinkman Jof, development manager of Marine Research Centre, Finnish Environment Institute SYKE, which owns the vessel, said: "The refit will enable the Aranda to run on biodiesel all year. In addition, the vessel will be able to travel short distances on battery power only, which will not only reduce emissions but also bring down the noise level caused by the ship when at sea.
“This is not only a major improvement for the marine organisms studied, it is also important for the research itself since it will make hydroacoustic surveys easier to perform."
The renovation will incorporate a 7m extension to the vessel and involve adding a new block in the central section and redesigning both the aft and after-deck.
Adding extra space is expected to facilitate the expansion of research and laboratory spaces and help the transition to a completely electronic power transmission in accordance with new research requirements.
The Aranda is primarily designed for research activities in the Baltic Sea, as well as for studying polar regions. Its new hull shape and renewed power transmission is expected to help it more easily navigate icy waters.
The vessel is used by institutions such as the Finnish Meteorological Institute and Natural Resources Institute Finland, in addition to SYKE. In recent years, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) has also used the vessel in its Baltic Sea monitoring missions.
Work performed on board will help produce marine research, monitor underwater biodiversity and the environmental status of the sea.
The renovation will take place at Rauma Marine Constructions' (RMC) shipyard in Rauma, Finland and is anticipated to finish in spring 2018.
