Ship specifications

RV Investigator has been built to meet the needs of Australian marine researchers to deliver geoscience, atmospheric, biological and oceanographic research.

Marine National Facility Capability Prospectus

This document provides an overview of MNF capability made available to Australian researchers for research, education and training activities.

Download the prospectus:

PDF: Marine National Facility Capability Prospectus [pdf · 3mb]

TXT: Marine National Facility Capability Prospectus [txt · 1mb]

Full specifications

RV Investigator Ship Specifications

Name

RV Investigator

Port of Registry

Hobart

Research Vessel

Multi-purpose

Length Overall

93.9 metres  

Beam

18.5 metres

Draft

6.2 metres

Lloyds Classification

+100A1, +LMC RESEARCH VESSEL, DP (AM) UMS, ICE 1C, IWS, SPS CODE  

Gross tonnage

6082

Australian Register of Shipping Official Number

860820

IMO Number

9616888

Endurance

60 days

Cruising speed

11 knots

Range

10,800 nautical miles @ 11 knots

Accommodation

Total 60 berths; approximately 20 crew, 5-10 technical support staff and 30-35 research staff depending on voyage objectives

Diesel Generators

3 x 9 cylinder 3000kW MaK Diesel engines each coupled to a 690V AC Generator

Propulsion

Diesel-Electric, 2 x fixed pitch propellers

Propulsion Motors

2 x L3 AC reversible propulsion motors rated at 2600 kW each

Thruster

1200 kW bow Azimuth thruster

Rudders

2 x independently vectoring Becker high lift

Steering Gear

2 x rotary vane units

Stabilisers

Passive roll tanks

DNV Silent-R

Will operate with low levels of radiated noise to allow for enhanced science operations

Ice capability

Operations will be limited to the ice edge and the vessel will avoid ice wherever possible as the vessel has an exposed gondola with acoustic instruments mounted on it, unprotected propellers and rudders. 

Dynamic Positioning

Kongsberg K-Pos - DP1 (AM) which allows the vessel to hold station within defined limits

Electrical supply

690V 3 phase 50Hz/415V 3 phase 50Hz/240V single phase 50Hz and uninterruptable power supply for laboratories and science equipment

Emergency Generator

1 x 400kW

Capacities

Fuel oil 700 tonnes, fresh water 38 tonnes

Drop keels

2 x drop keels with instrumentation mounting extendable to 4m below the keel. Either drop keel deployable at normal transiting speeds; both keels deployable at speeds less than 5 knots

Gondola

13m x 9m, 1.5m below the keel with fixed acoustic instrumentation

A Frame

Triplex 20 tonne, height 9.4m, width 5.3m and capable of 170o swing range

Handling equipment for short and long sediment corer pipes

1 x Triplex telescopic boom with 30 tonnes lifting capacity, 1 x Triplex corer pipe handler and 2 x Triplex corer pipe davits with 2 tonne lifting capacity

Forward Towing Booms

2 x Triplex hydraulic (port and starboard) 250 kg standoff 11 metres

Aft Towing Booms

2 x Triplex hydraulic (port and starboard) 2.5 tonnes standoff 2.5 metres

Main Crane

Dreggen Electro Hydraulic knuckle boom crane, 25 tonnes @ 12 metres, 5 tonnes @ 20 metres

Forward Stores Crane

Dreggen electro hydraulic pedestal crane 5 tonnes @ 10 metres

Aft Utility Cranes

2 x Dreggen electro hydraulic pedestal crane 5 tonnes @ 10 metres

Winch types

2 x trawl, 1 x net drum, 1 x heavy duty towing, 1 x towed body deployment and recovery, 1 x vertical sediment grab and light towing, 1 x long sediment coring, 2 x CTD

 

Navigational equipment

Kongsberg Integrated K-Bridge

Radar equipment

Kongsberg S-band and X-band navigation radars, C-band dual polarisation Doppler weather radar

Communications

Primary system: Dual-antenna 512kbps C Band VSAT; Secondary system: Inmarsat Fleet Broadband 500; Inshore system: Telstra Next G

Owners

CSIRO

Ship Managers

ASP Ship Management Group