Investigating the Investigator

Australia’s flagship ocean research vessel, the RV Investigator, has been docked in Fremantle Harbour for a few days now, but departed for Hobart this morning just after 9 am, dodging the coming and going Rottnest ferries in the process.

RV Investigator leaving Fremantle 18 January 2023. Credit Fremantle Shipping News, Michael Barker

Investigator arrived earlier this month, but due to stormy weather visited the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson instead of coming alongside at Fremantle Harbour, so we missed the opportunity to photograph her arrival in the West.

Today, however, we were lucky enough to capture her departure from Freo as she set sail for Hobart. A lovely sight!

The RV Investigator supports a wide range of CSIRO marine research, from the Antarctic ice-edge to the equator. The Marine National Facility, on behalf of the nation, operates her.

She is a 94-metre vessel capable of delivering up to 300 research days each year. The vessel was purpose built and commissioned in 2014. The Australian Government allocated $120 million for a new ocean-going vessel to replace the 66-metre RV Southern Surveyor. She received her name RV Investigator after a national naming competition.

The vessel has impressive scientific capabilities and possesses a wide range of on-board and modular laboratories and facilities to enable researchers to conduct research anywhere in Australia’s vast ocean estate.

RV Investigator supports biological, oceanographic, geological and atmospheric research, as well maritime training and education and outreach activities.

She accommodates 40 researchers and technicians and 20-crew and has an endurance of 60 days and 10,000 nautical miles in a single voyage without resupply.

RV Investigator leaving Fremantle 18 January 2023. Credit Fremantle Shipping News, Michael Barker

The CSIRO estimates Australia’s oceans contribute $42 billion annually to our economy, with this likely to increase to over $100 billion by 2025.

The ship is technically impressive and enables avenues of discovery both within and across scientific disciplines.

If you missed her this time, you can always take a virtual tour here on the CSIRO website..

* STORY by our Shipping Correspondent, Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Jean is also a regular feature writer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

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