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The director of the institute, Eilif Gaard, said that the new vessel will be used for fisheries and oceanic explorations.

"The Faroe Islands are highly dependent on fishery, which makes it critical that fish resources are preserved for future generations. This scientific research vessel will help us achieve just that. It will also take part in international explorations. This project is of great importance, since fishery is the key business of the Faroe Islands, an archipelago wedged between the Atlantic Ocean and the Norwegian Sea, fish products accounting for the major part of their exports," Gaard said in a press release. 

Veronika Ivanovskaja, chairman of the Board of BLRT Grupp, said that shipbuilding has been and will remain a priority area in the group's business.

"We attach equally great significance to construction of research vessels, grand-blocks and hull sections for cruise ships weighing from 300 to 1,500 tons, and to construction of barges for fish farming," Ivanovskaja said. 

The agreement on the construction of the hull of the research vessel, which is 54 meters long, 13.6 meters wide and weighs in at 1,500 tons fully equipped, was signed between WBS and MEST Shipyard in February last year. Engines, generators, steering mechanism and other equipment were installed on the ship. The final installation of the vessel will take place in Faroe Islands.

Built on order from the Faroese government, the research ship is subject to very high noise emission requirements of class Silent-R. A lot of effort was made to achieve that level: all of the vessel's machinery is installed on anti-vibration pads, and the engine section is soundproofed. The hull of the vessel has ice class C.

Western Baltija Shipbuilding already has experience in the construction of research vessels. Five years ago, the Mintis, a multifunctional marine exploration vessel, was built and delivered to Klaipeda University.