Ireland’s New Research Vessel Arrives in Galway

Ireland's new research vessel, the RV Tom Crean, has arrived in Irish waters and is currently docked in the Port of Galway before embarking on its first survey towards the end of July and then making its way to Dingle in advance of its official commissioning due to take place in Autumn 2022. 

The vessel has been named the RV Tom Crean after the renowned seaman and explorer from Kerry, who undertook three ground-breaking expeditions to the Antarctic in the early years of the 20th Century.

The RV Tom Crean, which will be based in Galway after its commissioning, will enable the Marine Institute to continue to lead and support vital scientific surveys.

The Marine Institute is the State agency responsible for marine research, technology development, and innovation in Ireland. It provides scientific and technical advice to Government to help inform policy and to support the sustainable development of Ireland's marine resource.

The  RV Tom Crean research vessel will carry out a wide range of marine research activities, including expanded fisheries surveys, seabed mapping, marine spatial planning, climate change-related research, environmental monitoring, deep water surveys, and support for increased research in the Atlantic Ocean.

Paul Connolly, CEO of the Marine Institute, said:"This has been an extremely successful project with the vessel arriving on budget and on time into Irish Shores. We are delighted that Galway, is the vessel's first stop in Irish waters ahead of its official launch and commissioning due to take place in Dingle, Kerry, in Autumn. The new vessel will be used by the Marine Institute, other state agencies, and universities to undertake critical work to support fisheries assessment, offshore renewable energy, marine spatial planning, marine protected areas and addressing the challenges of climate change. After the official commissioning, the RV Tom Crean will be based in Galway, and it will greatly enhance our capacity to undertake collaborative research and acquire the data and knowledge essential to sustainably manage our ocean resources."

According to the Marine Institute, the new research vessel is a silent vessel, capable of operating throughout the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It will replace the RV Celtic Voyager, which was Ireland's first purpose-built research vessel that arrived in 1997. 

The RV Tom Crean will be at sea for 300 operational days each year – heading to sea for at least 21 days at a time - and aims to accommodate up to 3000 scientist days annually and is designed to operate in harsh sea conditions.