Iran builds first research vessel

The first Iranian-made research vessel was launched in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, IRIB reported.

The vessel, which weighs 900 tons, can sail for 45 days and travel 3000 nautical miles in the Persian Gulf, northern parts of the Indian Ocean, and the Sea of Oman.

The ship can conduct deep-sea exploration and surveys of the seabed and the underlying geology at the depth of 3000 meters, Tehran Times reported.

The Persian Gulf Explorer is equipped with five laboratories and advanced technologies for the study of the physical and the biological aspects of the sea and oceanology.

The director of the Maritime Industries Organization affiliated with the Ministry of Defense, Amir Rastegari, said that nearly $6.75 million has been spent on building the vessel.