Abu Dhabi To Build Region's Most Advanced Marine Conservation Ship

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), has announced that the Agency is building the Middle East's most advanced research ship to protect the environment and the marine biodiversity in Abu Dhabi and the overall UAE marine ecosystem.

The 50-metre, multipurpose marine conservation and fisheries vessel will use environment-friendly technologies in conducting specialised research in the UAE’s waters of the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea

The vessel helps EAD to complete new marine and fisheries scientific waters in the previously largely unstudied waters 10 metres and deeper.

The vessel will be manned by up to 30 personnel and in addition to state-of-the-art research equipment it includes five laboratories to process samples on vessel, a remotely occupied vehicle and SCUBA diving functionality.

Under directives from Hamdan bin Zayed, @EADTweets is developing the region’s most advanced marine research vessel, which will help protect marine biodiversity and enhance fish stocks #inAbuDhabi. pic.twitter.com/eHH4kk5EM4

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) August 2, 2021

It has the integrated functions to complete comprehensive marine and fisheries surveys including deepwater marine ecological baseline surveys; fisheries resources assessment surveys; deep-water habitat surveys of coral and seagrasses; marine water and sediment quality; and megafauna surveys of the likes of cetaceans – dolphins; dugong and turtles.

It will also enable EAD to respond to the threats facing the marine environment including marine debris; climate change and invasive marine species, in addition to assessing marine sites and habitats and environmental rehabilitation perspective and conducting other marine studies.

The design of the ship commenced in January 2021 with it scheduled to arrive in Abu Dhabi in December 2022.