MTR 10 0oug g gh nborough nb ough nb ough nb oug g gh Si Si Si Si Si Si Si Sir r r r Davi i i id d d d d At At At At Atte te e te enb b bor or o or r rou u ugh h a a a a a at t t t t tke ke Camm Ca Ca Cammell l La air ird d ke eel l el el el l lay ay w wit ith h hCE hn S Jo John Syv yvre ret, t, C CL L L CE EO, O, an an an an a an ohnson m Jo Jo o J J Johnson m min in niste ter r an nd d d d d d da dCL a CL CL CL CL CL p re C CL a a a app pr nt tic ices es.Cammell LairdRRS Sir David AttenboroughRRS Sir David Aka “Boaty McBoatface”AttenboroughAs the subsea industry collectively 2019. RRS Sir David Attenborough government’s largest investment in po-turns its attention to unmanned, autono- drew global attention before she was lar science since the 1980s.mous vehicles to provide a consistency even named, as a public contest to name “Britain began exploring the Antarctic of presence and economy of scale that the vessel arrived on “Boaty McBoat- over a century ago when it seemed to be is unmatched by manned operations, face.” While authorities eventually set- an empty wilderness of little importance MTR thought it appropriate to go ‘old tled on the more appropriate RRS Sir to the world as a whole,” said Sir David school’ on number eight with a nod to David Attenborough – named for the Attenborough. “Now we recognize that Cammell Laird shipyard, the U.K. Natu- famed naturalist and television person- what happens at the Poles is of the great-ral Environment Research Council and ality, dubbed ‘the father of the modern est importance to everyone, everywhere. British Antarctic Survey courtesy of its nature documentary’ – the vessel will The U.K. and the British Antarctic state-of-the-art polar research ship, the carry an AUV named Boaty McBoat- Survey have been making discoveries in 129-m, 10,000-ton RRS Sir David At- face. The new research ship is part of a both regions that enable us to better un-tenborough. Government polar infrastructure invest- derstand these global processes and this The vessel is still under construction, ment program designed to keep Britain wonderful new research ship will enable but recently passed a major milestone at the forefront of world-leading re- British scientists to continue their cru-when hull number 1390 was launched, search in Antarctica and the Arctic. cial work in both the Arctic and Antarc-scheduled to come into operation in The commitment represents the U.K. tic for decades to come.”July/August 201818 MTRMTR #6 (18-33).indd 18 MTR #6 (18-33).indd 18 8/10/2018 9:49:03 AM8/10/2018 9:49:03 AM