On July 9, the Freire Shipyard celebrated the launching of the Anita Conti, a state-of-the-art research vessel destined to strengthen the French oceanographic fleet. This vessel, built for the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea(IFREMER), pays tribute to France’s first female oceanographer by bearing her name.
The French-Spanish ship Anita Conti for marine science
Designed and built in Vigo by the renowned Freire Shipyard, the Anita Conti represents a joint effort between Spanish naval engineering and the French scientific community. With a length of 45 meters and a beam of 11.5 meters, the vessel will be fully operational in 2026 and will replace the veteran Thalia.
The vessel integrates a diesel-electric propulsion system with biodiesel compatible with biodiesel compatible variable speed generators, electric motors and a battery pack. This configuration optimizes energy consumption, reduces emissions and meets international acoustic standards required for marine surveys.
Moreover, equipped with a gondola under the hull to house acoustic transducers, onboard laboratories and a scientific computer, the Anita Conti will be able to perform detailed studies of the seabed and the water column. In addition, it will be prepared to operate with advanced underwater vehicles such as AsterX, IdefX, UlyX and Ariane.
The vessel will operate mainly in French continental waters, such as the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel. However, its design allows it to be deployed in more distant regions such as the African coast or the French Caribbean. It will be manned by 12 sailors and 10 researchers.
The Anita Conti’ s design includes energy-efficient solutions on multiple levels: optimized hull, DC electrical distribution, heat recovery, improved thermal insulation and efficient air conditioning. All this makes it a model of innovation for future scientific vessels.
IFREMER emphasizes that this new integration strengthens the operational capabilities of the French fleet and demonstrates the commitment to a modern and sustainable oceanographic science. For its part, Freire Shipyard reaffirms its position as a global benchmark in the construction of high-tech scientific vessels.
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Source and photo: IFREMER
