Iran's oceangoing vessel in final production phase

Iran's first home-made oceangoing vessel, named Persian Gulf, is in its final construction phase and will launch operation soon, a researcher at the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography (INIO) announced on Monday. Speaking to FNA, INIO Faculty Member Abbas Nobakhti said that the Iranian oceangoing vessel will come into operation in June. The Persian Gulf oceangoer which has been designed for science missions can stay at sea for 45 days and take samples from the layers of the bottom of the high seas from the depth of 3,000 meters. Persian Gulf, which has been equppied with the state-of-the-art maritime research and oceanography tools, systems and equipment is 50 meters long and 10 meters wide and it weighs 900 tons. Iran is among the 60 world countries, most of them developed state, which use ocean-going vessels for research purposes. Nobakhti underlined that Iran's oceanography ship has been built to conduct research in the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman, the Arab Sea (in the Northeastern parts of the Indian Ocean) and the Indian Ocean. In July 2012, INIO Managing Director Vahid Chegini announced that Iran is due to build an oceangoing research vessel. Referring to Iran's advancements in the field of oceanography, he said that Iranian experts are now busy with designing, building and equipping an oceangoing research vessel " which will enjoy hi-tech research devices to be able to carry out research missions in seas and the oceans". Chegini said that the building of the vessel will be completed by the end of spring. In August 2011, the Iranian lawmakers discussed a bill which required the government to build oceangoing ships equipped with special engine and fuel technology allowing the vessel to traverse thousands of miles without any need to refueling.