After more than 36 years of service the time has come for our RV Belgica to be replaced. To that end the Belgian Federal Government decided to build a new modern research vessel.
It will be operational mid-2021 and will be able to further support the marine research community for the next 30 years.
After a contest for schools and a voting by the general public, the new ship will continue to bear the historic and symbolic name Belgica.
The project was realized through a collaboration between the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), the Ministry of Defense and the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO).