Saudi Gazette Report

THUWAL — King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has announced that Spain's Freire Shipyards will build its new research vessel, RV Thuwal II. Freire Shipyards, with over 100 years of shipbuilding experience, will manufacture the ship at its shipyard in Vigo, Spain.

It will be the first regional class research vessel for Saudi Arabia, having complete access to the Red Sea, including coastal waters and the deep sea.

Upon completion in 2026, RV Thuwal 2 will be the lead vessel in the Saudi research vessel fleet and will serve all marine research interests in Saudi Arabia.

Measuring 50 meters long, 12.8 meters wide and 3.6 meters draft, the Thuwal 2 research vessel is designed to last for 30 years; its modular design allows for multiple types of experimental laboratories to serve current and future marine technology for Red Sea exploration.

This modular design also allows for the integration of new green propulsion technologies to reduce its carbon footprint over the years. In addition to its primary function as a research vessel, the Thuwal 2 research vessel will also be able to support national responses to emergencies such as oil spills and marine and air accidents in the Red Sea.

On the scientific side, the Thuwal 2 will have the capacity to accommodate 30 people. The new vessel will be able to explore the deepest parts of the Red Sea and deploy a variety of remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater vehicles to conduct visual and acoustic surveys, take seawater samples and map the seafloor.

The Thuwal 2 was designed by Glosten (USA), which will continue to provide off-site engineering support during construction.

International Marine Survey of Australia has been selected as the KAUST owner’s representative on site and will oversee day-to-day construction activities.

Dozens of stakeholders in the Kingdom have been involved in the planning of the research vessel, including megaprojects, government ministries and several universities in the Kingdom with expertise in oceanography and marine operations.

“The Thuwal 2 symbolizes KAUST’s commitment to strengthening Saudi Arabia’s research infrastructure and exploring the Red Sea. The vessel will be available to partners who share a common interest in understanding the Red Sea and unlocking its vast potential,” said Pierre Magistretti, KAUST Vice President for Research.

"It is an honor for Freire Shipyard to collaborate with KAUST in building the RV Thuwal II, a vessel that not only symbolizes KAUST's commitment to enhancing Saudi Arabia's research infrastructure and exploring the Red Sea but also opens up new opportunities for scientific collaboration and technological advancement in the region," said Marcos Friere Garcia, one of the director generals of Friere Shipyard.

The Red Sea is of critical importance to the Kingdom’s transformation over the next several decades and is a major component of Vision 2030 and beyond. Its study will impact food security, water management, urban planning and many other economic sectors as well as create hundreds of thousands of jobs and provide a wealth of knowledge about our planet and the life that inhabits it.