BRIN partners with French company to build two research vessels

Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is set to significantly bolster its marine research capabilities with the construction of two state-of-the-art research vessels. A contract has been signed with the French shipbuilding company Chantiers Piriou for this international project, valued at 88 million euros.

The project, titled "Construction of a New Multipurpose Ocean Going Research Vessel and New Coastal Research Vessel," will result in one advanced ocean-going research vessel and one coastal research vessel. The initiative is receiving financial support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the French government's development agency.

BRIN Head Arif Satria emphasized the strategic importance of these new vessels, stating they are crucial for supporting maritime research and strengthening Indonesia's mastery of its vast marine data. "I think this ship is very important to support research in the maritime field," Arif Satria said.

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I think this ship is very important to support research in the maritime field.

The new vessels are designed with cutting-edge technology, surpassing the capabilities of BRIN's current fleet, much of which is around 40 years old and technologically outdated. They will be equipped with advanced instruments for mapping ocean depths, collecting biological and geological samples, and utilizing methods like Environmental DNA (eDNA) for fish stock assessments. The vessels will also serve as platforms for operating Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles (AUVs), and various ocean bottom observation instruments.

These enhanced research facilities are expected to support a wide range of studies, including those related to the blue economy, food security, climate resilience, and maritime diplomacy. Satria highlighted the necessity of strengthening marine data acquisition given Indonesia's status as an archipelagic nation with extensive maritime territories.

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Because our sea is very wide and we are an archipelagic country, there is no other way than to strengthen the existing data in the sea. We must master this.