Galway Bay fm newsroom - A state of the art new Government marine research vessel is set to be based in Galway.
Minister for Agriculture and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has announced the purchase of a new vessel to replace the 21 year old Celtic Voyager.
The 54 metre ship will be used by the Marine Institute, other state agencies and universities to undertake fisheries research, oceanographic and environmental research, seabed mapping and other multidisciplinary surveys.
Spanish shipyard Astilleros Armon Vigo has been awarded the contract to build the Voyager's replacement - with the project set to be completed by summer 2022.
Meanwhile, Minister McConalogue says the vessel will provide critical national infrastructure to enable Ireland to address the considerable challenges of Brexit and the Common Fisheries Policy.
