RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is designing an international-standard ocean research vessel aimed at strengthening national marine research capacity while expanding its operational reach to the regional and global levels. This project was initiated by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

It is part of efforts to modernize maritime research infrastructure in the world's largest archipelagic nation. The market sounding for the project was held in Jakarta on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.

“This ship will meet international standards, enabling it to operate not only in Indonesian waters but also in regional and global waters,” Directorate of Research Vessel Fleet Management of the national research agency, Nugroho Dwi Hananto, said in a presentation on the project. He added that the research vessel will be constructed in two years and will be operated for 18 years.

This multipurpose research vessel is designed to have a cruising range of up to 6,000 nautical miles and can operate for 45 days at sea, enabling long-term scientific missions in open waters. In addition, the vessel will be equipped with various advanced technologies to support high-precision scientific data collection.

These facilities include a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and other supporting technologies to support marine research.

“ Including multi-beam echo sounders of various types for mapping the ocean floor, water ponds, and also mapping marine life, including gravimeters, CTDs, ADCPs, and so on, which are very technical for us to use,” Nugroho stated.

Functionally, this vessel is designed as a multidisciplinary platform that can be used for research in oceanography, marine biodiversity, geoscience, and hydrography. The agency also considers increasing the capacity of its research fleet crucial given the vastness of its national maritime territory and the increasing need for scientific data for science-based policies.

Through this project, Indonesia also aims to strengthen cross-border research collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region and global scientific forums. “This PPP project is essential for providing research vessels for the research agency’s researchers, universities, and other researchers to collect data and information, as well as serving as part of a collaboration platform,” Nugroho said.