Australia’s
marine
territories
are a
wealth
of
biodiversity
and
resources.
The
latest
addition
to the
Australia
research
fleet,
the RV
Solander,
will
support
scientists
at the
Australian
Institute
of
Marine
Science
(AIMS)
in
their
work
to
better
understand
the
marine
environment
for
its
protection.
|
Photo:
Tenix |
Funded
in
part
by
a
$5.5
million
grant
from
the
Australian
Government’s
National
Collaborative
Research
Infrastructure
Strategy,
the
new
vessel
was
named
in
a
ceremony
at
Fremantle
today
by
The
Hon.
Julie
Bishop
MP,
Federal
Minister
for
Education,
Science
and
Training.
The
Hon
Peter
Lindsay
MP,
Federal
Member
for
Herbert
was
instrumental
in
helping
AIMS
gain
support
for
the
new
vessel. |
The
boat
was
named
after
Dr
Daniel
Solander,
an
eighteenth-century
Swedish
naturalist,
student
of
Carl
Linnaeus
and
naturalist
on
board
the
H.M.S.
Endeavour.
During
Cook’s
voyage
of
discovery
along
the
east
coast
of
Australia
he
made a
pioneering
contribution
to the
scientific
study
of the
continent.
Designed
and
purpose
built
for
multi
disciplinary
marine
science,
the RV
Solander
will
improve
the
Institute’s
capacity
to
conduct
research
in the
open
waters
offshore
Northern
and
Western
Australia.
The
steel
hull
of the
vessel
is 35
m in
length,
making
the RV
Solander
the
largest
in the
AIMS
research
fleet.
The
spacious
vessel
allows
for a
capacity
of 18
people,
who
have
the
use of
20.6
sq. m
of dry
laboratory
space
and
12.5
sq. m
of wet
laboratory
space,
as
well
as
scientific
office
space.
This
capacity
will
allow
larger
teams
from
AIMS
to
work
together
on
multidisciplinary
problems.
It
will
also
provide
more
opportunities
for
training
students
and
collaborating
with
scientists
from
other
organisations.
Unique
design
features
of the
RV
Solander
include
a
diver
access
platform
on
port
side
to
ease
diver
entry
into
one of
the
vessels
three
tenders,
a
walk-in
freezer
for
increased
frozen
sample
storage
capacity,
and a
hydrographic
A
frame
mounted
on the
side
of the
vessel
for
oceanographic
instrumentation.
An
internal
moon
pool,
a
feature
unusual
to a
vessel
of
this
size,
will
be
used
for
mounting
a
range
of
instruments
on the
underside
of the
hull
whilst
at
sea.
RV
Solander
was
built
by
Tenix
Marine
Pty
Ltd of
Henderson,
Western
Australia,
who
had
previously
built
AIMS’
other
large
vessel
the RV
Cape
Ferguson.
Tenix
CEO,
Greg
Hayes,
said
that
the
ships
consolidated
the
company’s
capability
in
building
smaller
research
and
patrol
vessels.
"The
construction
of the
two
research
vessels
has
generated
significant
economic
benefits
for
Western
Australia,
whilst
also
supporting
the
work
of the
institute,"
Mr
Hayes
said.
"Tenix
is
proud
to
have
been
chosen
to
build
these
two
vessels,
which
will
play
an
important
role
in
increasing
the
scientific
community’s
understanding
of
Australia’s
marine
environment."
AIMS
CEO,
Ian
Poiner,
said
the
new
vessel
significantly
increases
AIMS
ability
to
explore
and
study
Australia’s
vast
tropical
marine
territory
which
houses
much
of
Australia’s
unique
but
poorly
understood
biodiversity
and
hosts
some
of the
most
iconic
marine
life
and
marine
habitats
on
earth.
It
also
supports
some
of
Australia’s
key
marine
industries
including
offshore
oil
and
gas
and
tourism.
"The
launch
of the
RV
Solander
is an
important
milestone
in
both
AIMS’
history
and
the
development
of
Australian
marine
science."
The
Ceremony
begins
at
10:30.
Please
arrive
at
10:20
at
Fuel
Wharf/Molfetta
Quay,
(off
Mews
Road,
next
to MG
Kailis
Group
Facility),
Fishing
Boat
Harbour,
Fremantle,
Western
Australia.
Media
contact
on
site:
Dr
Peter
Doherty
0418
469
770
Media
contacts:
Jakob
Webster,
Tenix
Phone:
02
9904
4333
Mobile:
0400
745
030
eMail:
jwebster@jacksonwells.com.au
Dr
Ian
Poiner,
Chief
Executive
Officer,
AIMS
Phone:
07
4753
4490
Mobile:
0419
702
652
