Northern Ireland awards Armon Vigo a research vessel

The vessel will be able to spend 21 days at sea and be operational at sea for 300 days a year

Spanish shipyard Armón Vigo S.A. adds a new contract for the construction of a research vessel commissioned by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) of Northern Ireland. The 52.8 m vessel will be the first hybrid vessel within the regional fleet operating from the United Kingdom and Ireland and will also be equipped to run on biofuels.

It will be able to spend 21 days at sea be operational at sea for 300 days a year. To be complete in February 2027, according to AFBI information, the announcement ‘is a major milestone to strength and support marine science in Northern Ireland for the next 30 years. ‘The new research vessel will form a critical part of the institutes science infrastructure’ pointed Stanley McDowell, Executive Director out accompanied by the director of Vigo’s factory, Santiago Martín.

The shipowner relied on Armón's “reputation as a builder of very advanced vessels” with extensive experience in oceanographic and research vessels. The Vigo shipyard currently has several ships of this type in its order book, such as the Spanish CSIC one nearly finish, which will be one of the most advanced in the world and the largest in the national scientific fleet. Armón and its subsidiary Ría de Vigo (former Hijos de J.Barreras) have oceanographic portfolios for Holland, New Zealand, the Azores Islands and Iceland.

(Source: Atlántico Diario)