The Belgian delegation that participated in the launch ceremony in Vigo was headed by Patricia Supply, Acting Director-General of the Royal Institute of Natural Sciences of Belgium, Admiral Yves Dupont of the Ministry of Defence and Pierre Bruyere, Acting Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Belgian Office for Scientific Policy

"Belgium" is the result of a surprising project carried out thanks to a collaboration between the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, the Belgian Ministry of Defence and the Belgian Office of Scientific Policy... the shipyard had won in 2018 the international tender for the construction of this new state-of-the-art oceanographic research ship that will support the scientific community and especially marine research over the next 30 years... the contract entered into force in June 2018 and the delivery is scheduled for the end of 2020.

This ship is intended to replace the Belgian RV which has been in service for more than 36 years and with its dimensions, not only will it provide more space for scientists and research spaces, but it has also been built taking into account the highest requirements at the level of energy consumption and noise emissions, in accordance with its green vessel category.

It will be an advanced multidisciplinary research vessel of 71.4 m equipped with equipment to operate in a variety of fields such as geology and sedimentology, fisheries, biology, chemistry, oceanography and hydrography; built with the IMO Polar Code, its mission will be to carry out research in the North Sea, as well as in the Mediterranean and in the regions further north.