The Estonian Maritime Administration signed a new order on October 8, 2009, for a 25-metre Hydrographic Survey vessel.
The German Shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen will deliver the SWATH@A&R vessel in 2012, according to the procurement procedure "Enhancing Maritime Safety on Estonian Waterways", which is financed by the European Union.
The decision for the SWATH Technology was based on the good operational experience of the German pilots.
This new 25m vessel was designed in close collaboration with the Estonian Authority. Due to its unique seaworthiness, living and working on the vessel will become more comfortable for the researchers.
The Estonian Maritime Administration said: "SWATH technology is more expensive then other existing technologies, but as it gives the necessary stability with a smaller hull length, the cost of building such a ship is comparable to the cost of building a catamaran and more economical than ordering a single-hull ship.
"Also, the small size of the new ship will significantly lower annual maintenance costs," they said.
The 25m SWATH@A&R offers accommodation and common rooms for eight persons and will feature a containerized installation for research equipment.
Including this order Abeking & Rasmussen has delivered or contracted 21 SWATH vessels for customers worldwide.
