UK announces £200 million polar research ship

April 25, 2014

UK Chancellor today announced a new 200 million research ship to ply  and  waters.

"One of the final frontiers in the world where there is still much discovery to be done are the polar oceans" said Osborne, explaining "our two current polar exploration ships are nearing the end of their life and need replacing. So I am delighted that we are investing in a new polar research ship to carry cutting edge British technology to put British scientists at the forefront of research in both the Antarctic and the Arctic oceans".

The ship is to belong to the  and is funded from a £7 billion pot earmarked for science over the next six or seven years. Osborne told those gathered at 's today he had "made it [his] personal priority in government to support [scientific] endeavour." Funding body the (Nerc) says the current ships,   and, are to carry on operating at least until 2020. They were built in 1990 and 1995 respectively; RRS Ernest Shackleton is a leased Norwegian vessel. The new vessel is intended to be able to stay in the field longer and, unlike RRS James Clark Ross, feature a helipad.

Other specifications include the ability to launch unmanned submarines and scientific gliders, devices towed behind ships to gather data, as well as power through 2 (6.6) thick ice at three.

Osborne also announced the start of consultations on how to spend the rest of the £7 billion. The announcements come shortly after Nerc completed upgrades to ocean-going 'bluewater' ships  and. "The new vessel will make Nerc's entire fleet, ton for ton, the most advanced scientific fleet in the world" according to Nerc head Professor Duncan Wingham, speaking to the BBC.