NARA allocates Rs 2.5 m on new expedition vessel

Ridma Dissanayake

The National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) will allocate Rs 2.5 million to purchase a new research vessel for ocean expedition and survey.

The agreement was signed by Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry and Lung the Ship Builders Institute recently. Since the destruction of Nara’s Sayuri in the tsunami the Ministry conducted its ocean expeditions and surveys with much difficulty.

The new vessel has a modern multi beam echo sounder and it will help to conduct ocean expeditions efficiently. It can also engage in mapping the ocean bed in a sophisticated way. The vessel will help to gather details which are needed to create naval maps for the National Water Science Institute.