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VESSELS As 2013 ended, the team of Sembawang Shipyard of Sin- gapore and Teekay Shipping Australia handed over the new scientifi c Research Vessel Investigator to her Owners, the Commonwealth Scientifi c and Industrial Research Orga- nization (CSIRO), an agency of the Federal Government of Australia. The Investigator will be among the most capa- ble and quietest non-naval research vessels in the world. It will serve Australia in diverse scientifi c operations ranging over an area from the equator to the ice shelf of Antarctica and spanning almost one-third of the circumference of the globe. An area this large is hugely diverse and the types of research to be undertaken are numerous and demanding, resulting in the need for a very fl exible, capable and seawor- thy research vessel. The “design and build” contract for con- struction of this ship was awarded to a team led by Teekay Shipping Australia and Sembawang Shipyard of Singapore. The design was developed by RALion, a joint venture be- tween Vancouver BC Naval Architects, Robert Allan Ltd, Alion Science and Technology of Alexandria, Virginia and Alion Canada of Ottawa. The vessel was launched on July 21st, 2013 and then offi cially named Investigator at a cer- emony in Singapore on September 5th. To accomplish its myriad scientifi c missions, the Investigator is fi tted with a gondola and two retractable drop keels to house the ex- tensive scientifi c sonar and transducer suites, supplied by Kongsberg. The vessel is fi tted with a stern ramp to support fi sheries research activities. The Investigator is classed by Lloyds Register of Shipping with the following notation: +100A1, +LMC, UMS Ice 1C IWS, EP, Research Vessel, DP (AM) and DNV SILENT-R. The vessel is twin screw, powered by an integrated die- sel - electric propulsion and ship service plant provided by L3 Marine Systems. Three Mak 9M25C diesel generators provide a total electrical output of 9 MW at 690 V. To meet the noise requirements of DNV Silent R notation, all three diesel generators are double resiliently mounted on a raft system engineered by RALion and supplied by Mak. The L3/Indar 690 V AC 2600 kW propulsion mo- tors feature a resiliently mounted rotor and other design features to meet the noise requirements. These propulsion motors are believed to represent the fi rst use of AC mo- tors of this size range in a research vessel to meet DNV Silent-R requirements. Wartsila provided the 3.5 m diam- eter 5-bladed propellers, which are specially designed to be cavitation free at 11 knots, and the complete shaft-line from motors to propeller. The ship is also equipped with an azimuthing, retractable bow thruster, Thrustmaster model TH1500MLR, rated at 1200 kW and with Becker Flap type high lift rudders, all creating a vessel with much enhanced maneuverability at low speeds. Canadian, American Naval Architects Design Aussie Research Vessel LOA: 93.9 meters Depth to Main Deck: 9.45 meters Endurance: 60 days Beam: 18.5 meters Draft, Navigational: 6.9 meters (to bottom of gondola) Speed: 15 knots Draft: 5.7 meters Complement: 60 (including scientists) Range: 10,800 nm The Investigator at a glance … 48 MN January 2014 MN JAN14 Layout 32-49.indd 48 12/20/2013 10:19:17 AM
