Spain's Freire Shipyard has laid the keel of a new research vessel ordered by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) of Saudi Arabia.
The vessel, which will be named Thuwal II, will be designed by US naval architecture firm Glosten. It will be capable of operation in both coastal and deep-sea waters.
Freire Shipyard said the vessel will be the flagship of the Saudi research fleet and will serve all national marine research interests, particularly in the Red Sea.
Upon completion in 2026, Thuwal II will have a length of 50 metres, a beam of 12.8 metres, and a draught of 3.6 metres. It will be designed to have an operational life of 30 years.
The vessel will be of modular design to allow the installation of multiple types of experimental laboratories to support exploration activities in the Red Sea. The modularity will also permit the future installation of low-emission propulsion systems to reduce the vessel's environmental footprint.
Accommodation will be available for 12 crewmembers and up to 18 additional personnel such as researchers.
Thuwal II is scheduled for delivery to KAUST in 2027.