RV Investigator
A turn-key solution for research
RV Investigator is a 94-metre ocean research vessel capable of delivering up to 300 research days each year. The vessel was purpose built and commissioned in 2014. It has impressive scientific capabilities and possesses a wide range of on-board and modular laboratories and facilities.
The vessel supports biological, oceanographic, geological and atmospheric research, as well maritime training and education and outreach activities. It accommodates 40 researchers and technicians and 20 crew, and has an endurance of 60 days and 10,000 nautical miles without resupply.
MNF Capability Prospectus
The Marine National Facility (MNF) Capability Prospectus provides an overview of MNF capability - vessel, equipment, expertise and data - that are available to Australian researchers for research, education and training activities.
Download the prospectus:
Step inside the ship
Explore our world-class capability
Enabling multi-disciplinary science
[Music plays and plankton floats around the screen and text appears: Marine National Facility]
[Music continues to play and the image changes to show a school of tuna swimming across the screen]
[Image changes to show an animation of the Investigator on the ocean and text appears: R.V. Investigator]
[The camera zooms in on the animation of the Investigator and then the camera pans in an anticlockwise direction and text appears: Investigator is a multidisciplinary vessel capable of oceanographic, biological, geoscience and atmospheric research]
[Camera continues to pans in an anticlockwise direction from an aerial view and measurements appear on the side and across the back of the boat: 94 metres, 18.5 metres]
[Image changes to show a side view of the animation of the Investigator moving from the right to the left of the screen and measurements appear vertically against the side of the boat: 37 metres, 10 storeys tall]
[Image changes to show a front view of the animation of the Investigator and a box appears on the right hand side of the screen displaying 60 outlines of people and text appears: 60 scientists and crew]
[Camera pans over the deck of the animation of the Investigator and then in a clockwise direction and text appears on either side of the ship: 10 Laboratories, 13 Container Laboratories]
[Image shows containers being put on the deck of the ship]
[Image changes to show a view of an animation of the Investigator moving towards the camera and text appears: Cruising speed of 11 knots, Up to 60 days at sea without refuelling]
[Camera zooms in on a side view of the animation of the Investigator and then the camera pans in an anticlockwise direction to show a rear view of the animation of the Investigator]
[Image changes to show an underwater view of the animation of the Investigator facing away from the camera and text appears: 3 diesel electric motors, 2 AC electric propulsion motors]
[Camera continues to pan in an anticlockwise direction showing an underwater view of the animation of the Investigator]
[Camera zooms in on the gondola below the hull of the animation of the Investigator and text appears: A large steel housing attached 1.2 m below the hull, called a gondola, contains solar technology.]
[Camera continues to pan in a clockwise direction showing the gondola]
[Image changes to show the retractable drop keels on the bottom of the animation of the Investigator and text appears: Two fully retractable scientific drop keels collect water samples, and contain sonar to study ocean biology]
[Camera continues to pan in an anticlockwise direction showing the retractable keels on the bottom of the animation of the Investigator]
[Image changes to show an aerial view of marine equipment being deployed from the rear of the deck of the animation of the Investigator and text appears: Investigator can deploy a diverse range of sampling equipment]
[Image changes to show the marine science equipment being towed underwater]
[Image changes to show a multi corer being deployed from the left hand side of the animation of the Investigator]
[Image changes to show the multi corer plunging beneath the surface of the water]
[Image changes to show a view of the hull of the animation of the Investigator and then the camera zooms in on the bow thruster and text appears: The ship’s retractable bow thruster is part of a dynamic positioning system that allows research to continue in most weather conditions]
[Camera continues to pan in an anti-clockwise direction showing the bow thruster]
[Image changes to show a front view of the animation of the Investigator and the camera zooms in on the communications equipment on top of the bridge and text appears: High speed satellite communications]
[Camera zooms up and over the bridge and pans in an anti-clockwise direction to show an aerial view of the animation of the Investigator on the ocean]
[Camera zooms out until the animation of the Investigator is just a speck in the ocean and then the image changes to show a view of Australia on the world globe]
[Camera zooms out again to show the globe in space surrounded by stars and text appears: Investigator enables a new era for Australia’s marine and atmospheric researchers, putting them at the forefront of global research, with the latest state-of-the-art scientific equipment]
[The image shows the globe very slowly spinning in an anticlockwise direction]
[Music continues playing and MNF and CSIRO logos and text appears: Marine National Facility, Supporting, enabling and inspiring marine science, Owned and operated by CSIRO on behalf of Australia]