R/V Gaia Blu

The 84-meter-long, 2,000-ton R/V Gaia Blu has been CNR’s oceanographic ship since 2022, a full fledged technological jewel received as a donation from the Schmidt Ocean Institute (SOI) following an international competition. CNR submitted a project proposal on the importance of research in the Mediterranean, one of the “hot spots” of climate change.

The ship, equipped with the most sophisticated bathymetric survey instruments, is able to survey the morphology of the seabed with unprecedented accuracy.

Built in 1981 as a fisheries protection vessel, the ship underwent extensive refitting in 2009 to convert it into a research vessel. Through 2022 it has undertaken 81 expeditions, hosting 1,056 scientists from around the world.

The NRC recently completed refitting the ship to make it usable for the activities of the scientific community for years to come. Due to its structural characteristics the new ship is suitable for conducting research in all oceans with eligibility for “Polar Code” certification.

The main objective of the R/V Gaia Blu is research activity in oceanography to serve the Italian and international scientific community globally and particularly in the Mediterranean basin.