Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

Research vessels

The National Research Fleet of the Netherlands, operated and maintained by NMF, consists of 3 research vessels: RV Pelagia, RV Navicula and RV Adriaen Coenen. Each is dedicated to a specific area of operation, from the shallow waters of the Wadden Sea to the open ocean of the Atlantic. The Wadden Pontoon is used for fieldwork.

RV Pelagia A 66m ocean-going vessel; Pelagia is the flagship of ocean research in the Netherlands, operating year-round in all oceans and seas except Polar regions.
RV Navicula A 23m vessel that operates in the Wadden Sea, Delta, and near-coastal North Sea. With limited draft and a flat bottom for access to the narrowest channels.
RV Adriaen Coenen In July 2022 the RV Adriaen Coenen has replaced RV Stern. It is the first new ship of the national research fleet and will be used on the Wadden Sea.
Wadtoren De Richel Wadden pontoon ‘De Richel’ can be moored in remote locations such as the island Griend, where it can accommodate up to four researchers, mostly bird watchers.
Vlet 't Horntje In Spring and Summer, the Vlet is used daily for trips to the fyke near the NIOZ harbour, thereby continuing a fish-monitoring time series that started in 1959.
Pelagia News Box RV Pelagia operates mainly in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the Carribean and Mediterranean. Find her current position and read the expedition blogs here.