The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) will be handed over a research vessel, the Sindhu Sankalp, which was acquired by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). NIO Director S.R. Shetye said that after the clearances are obtained, the ship would undertake trial research cruises during the upcoming months.
The 56.3 meter vessel has strength of about 35 crews and can attain a cruising speed of 11.5 knots. Its range has been kept as 20,000 nautical miles. According to sources, the vessel will be equipped with modern research equipment in order to conduct study in physical, chemical, biological, geological and geophysical oceanography. The vessel comes at a crucial time when the NIO's research programmes are facing shortage of ship time due to shortage of research vessels in the country.
Shetye added that the equipment on board RV Sindhu Sankalp is designed in such a manner that makes it possible to record profiles of temperature and salinity in the water column, collect high resolution data on the ocean bottom as well as study topographic features and profile geophysical structure below the ocean floor. Further, he said that there are three laboratories on board, which are set up to conduct on-board analysis and for processing of data.
According to him, the new ship is expected to boost the ongoing research of NIO. The institute’s existing major programmes are enlarging India's ocean forecasting capability to serve the maritime community, enhancing energy and mineral security through geophysical and geological studies.
