State-of-the-art oceanographic research vessel Belgica was launched on February 11, 2020 at Astilleros Freire shipyard in Vigo, Spain, equipped with a Sperry Marine integrated bridge system.

The result of a collaboration project between the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, the Belgian Navy and the Belgian Science Policy Office, Belgica is a 71.4m multidisciplinary research vessel.

Equipped to operate in a variety of fields including geology and sedimentology, fisheries, biology, chemistry, oceanography and hydrography, Belgica is built to the requirements of the IMO Polar Code and will carry out research and survey tasks in the North Sea as well as in the Mediterranean.

Freire shipyard was awarded the international tender for the vessel’s construction in 2018 with the objective of providing support to the marine research community for the next 30 years.

The new ship replaces its namesake after more than 36 years of service and when operational by the end of 2020, will support the marine research community for the next 30 years. The new vessel not only offers more space for research but is also built to the highest standards of energy consumption and noise emissions.

Sperry Marine’s Strategic Partner for Spain and Portugal, Aeromarine was responsible for the delivery and installation of a VisionMaster FT Integrated Bridge System and CompassNet heading management system. Once in service, the vessel will benefit from Sperry Marine’s best-in-class global service and support network.

The VisionMaster FT Radar series from Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine provides innovative marine navigation tools and support for safe navigation and collision avoidance, under all maritime conditions. The VisionMaster FT series delivers the industry’s most advanced automatic clutter suppression with Intel based technology, delivering clear radar images in extreme weather conditions and making it easier for operators to identify small targets in sea or rain clutter.

Since its foundation in 1968, Aeromarine has focused on navigation and communications electronics, becoming one of the leading service providers in the sector.