Vessels

Vessels

Geological Survey Ireland owns and operates several research vessels as part of the INFOMAR seabed mapping programme, a joint venture between Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute.​

RV Keary

The vessel is named after Raymond Keary, one of Ireland's pioneering marine geologists. It is a purpose built, aluminium catamaran designed for the survey of shallow waters, with a draft of only 1.7m. The 15 metre fully-equipped and state of the art hydrographic/geophysical launch will deliver survey data that will meet all required international specifications.

RV Geo

​The RV Geo is a 7.4m Redbay Stormfoce RIB which has been configured for very shallow water survey operations as part of the INFOMAR programme. In 2012, the RV Geo was re-fitted with a cabin extension and a generator to increase her survey capability. The vessel is equipped with an aluminium frame attached above the bow, which is manually lowered into the water as a means to deploy the transducers – these are the parts of the mapping equipment that produce the signal used to detect the seafloor.

RV Tonn

​The RV Tonn is a 7.9m Cheetah Catamaran which has been configured for very shallow water survey operations as part of the INFOMAR programme. The RV Tonn, is named appropriately after the Irish for wave, as it both operates on the waves and uses sound waves to investigate the depth and nature of the seabed. It is a new state of the art vessel, only 8 metres in length, but purpose built to carry out very shallow survey work.

RV Mallet

​Content being prepared.