Ho Chi Minh-based Triyards Shipyard has penned a new contract to build a scientific research vessel for the Taiwanese Ocean Research Institute (TORI).

The 76m x 16m newbuilding is an IMT2001 design from the Offshore Ship Designers group headquarted in Ijmuiden, Netherlands and is slated for delivery in August 2017.

The DP1 diesel-electric powered vessel will be equiped with two main azimuth propulsion thrusters and two tunnel thrusters.

Accommodating 43 crew and scientists will enable the vessel to support long-term oceanographic observation programmes, including the operation of unmanned remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), terrain survey and mapping, seismic pattern detection, long-core sampling, compiling diagrams of topology and stratum, and performing real-time data processing and sampling within its onboard laboratory facilities.

The vessel features include two 'A' frames, two deck cranes, an ROV launch, and will be able to conduct seabed core drilling down to 200m below the sea bed.