Dedicated to scientific surveys of coastal areas, through scientific fishing, oceanographic and biological measurements and sampling, this 22-meter vessel is the sixth unit in INRH’s research fleet, completing a state-of-the-art oceanographic research fleet crucial to the development of the Kingdom’s blue economy.
With an autonomy of five days, the “IBN SINA-II” vessel will be able to cover the entire coastal fringe of the Kingdom and reach all coastal areas previously inaccessible to deep-sea oceanographic research vessels.
Equipped with two laboratories for biological and chemical analysis, as well as state-of-the-art equipment for oceanographic measurements, acoustic echo sounding, seabed mapping, benthic sampling and the ability to deploy passive fishing gear and remotely operated mobile gear, the vessel will enable comprehensive studies of the marine ecosystems of the national coastline.
With a budget of 34 million dirhams, this research vessel was acquired within the framework of cooperation between Morocco and the European Union in the field of maritime fishing and ocean sustainability.
This inaugural ceremony, marked by a demonstration outing at sea of the research vessel’s technical and scientific capabilities, is a key step in the Halieutis strategy to strengthen INRH’s marine research resources by 2030, and in the Kingdom’s commitment to the development of a blue economy based on the development of scientific knowledge and the preservation of the ecological balance of the oceans.
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