Spain's Freire Shipyard has laid the keel of a new multi-disciplinary research vessel ordered by the Danish National Institute of Aquatic Resources (DTU Aqua).
Dana V will be built entirely in Freire Shipyard's Galicia facilities under a €57 million (US$66 million) investment. The vessel is scheduled to enter service with DTU Aqua in the autumn of 2027.
Dana V will support research in marine biodiversity, ocean currents, and seabed exploration. Freire Shipyard said it will also serve as a hands-on training platform for Danish students throughout the construction process.
The vessel will be designed for operations in icy waters in both the Baltic Sea and the Arctic Ocean. The vessel will be classed to Polar Code B and PC6 as well as comply with high standards for low level underwater noise during scientific operations.
Deck space will also be available for buoys, anchors, and unmanned vehicles.
The vessel will be able to operate on either biodiesel or batteries, and it can switch between propulsion systems as mission requirements dictate, particularly for operations demanding silent navigation.
Design work on Dana V was undertaken by Danish naval architecture firm Knud E. Hansen. It will replace DTU Aqua's earlier research vessel Dana IV, which became operational in 1981.