Blyth Marine Station and Research Vessel, The Princess Royal
Our Blyth Marine Station is based at the Port of Blyth. This state-of-the-art facility supports the operation of our Research Vessel, The Princess Royal and our RIB, Columba
Blyth Marine Station
This facility supports teaching, research and outreach activities, enhancing the learning experience of both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The facility includes:
- an operational office
- Workshops for the maintenance and support of the vessel and its specialist equipment
- A dedicated teaching and meeting room, available for hire for training courses, workshops, meetings and educational events
Research Vessel, The Princess Royal
The catamaran design provides an ideal platform for research and survey operations, offering excellent stability, a generous working deck and exceptional manoeuvrability.
Combining the advantages of a catamaran with a deep-V hull form and anti-slamming bulbous bows, RV The Princess Royal delivers enhanced seakeeping, efficiency and speed while maintaining a stable and capable working platform.
Designed for operations along the North-East coast of England, the vessel also incorporates tunnel sterns and a deep forefoot inspired by the traditional Northumbrian coble — combining regional maritime heritage with modern vessel design.
Capabilities
- Enough fuel to cover 1500 nautical miles at 8 knots.
- 3 x 2t trawl winches able to carry 300m of 12mm diameter wire.
- 3t hydraulic A-frame with 1t winch
- Deck crane with lifting capabilities
- Multi-beam survey equipment providing high resolution mapping and detailed surveying.
- 1.5t pot hauler
On board facilities
- The vessel is certified by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to carry 15 persons (inc crew)
- A spacious wheelhouse with seating and workspace for up to ten people
- Equipped with bench top PCs, and data and power for external equipment
- On board food and drink preparation facilities including fridge, freezer, microwave and boiling water
- A dedicated deck toilet with hand washing facilities conveniently located for personnel working on deck
- Below deck there are two cabins with bunks for four people, a galley, small bathroom including shower
Specifications
|
Length Overall |
18.9m |
|
Beam Overall |
7.3m |
|
Design Draft |
1.64m |
|
Displacement (light) |
36 tonnes |
|
Payload |
5 tonnes |
|
Max Speed |
20 knots |
|
Cruising Speed |
15 knots |
|
Engines 2 |
1 x 730hp |
|
Propulsion |
Fixed pitch propellers |
|
Fuel capacity |
5800 litres |
|
Fresh water capacity |
400 litres |
Normal area of operation
The coastal waters, rivers and estuaries of North East England.
Operating conditions
- Classification MCA category 2
- Sea state 4-5
- Range 400 nautical miles
Available for hire
RV Princess Royal is available for commercial charter, providing a versatile and capable platform for a wide range of marine operations.
The vessel is ideally suited to offshore wind support, marine mammal and seabird surveys, deployment and servicing of oceanographic equipment, and environmental survey work including benthic trawling, sediment sampling, seabed surveying and habitat mapping.
Fully equipped to support both marine science and engineering projects, Princess Royal provides a flexible platform for research, teaching, and commercial survey operations.
We welcome charter enquiries and opportunities to collaborate with researchers, industry partners and institutions across the UK and Europe.
For charter enquiries or to discuss your project requirements, please contact marineoutstations@newcastle.ac.uk.
Track the Princess Royal
You can track the Princess Royal as she sails around the North Sea .
RIB Columba
RIB Columba is a Humber Ocean Pro 6, providing 缅北禁地 with a fast, versatile and highly manoeuvrable platform for coastal research, survey and support operations.
Powered by a 140 hp Suzuki outboard, the 6-metre RIB is ideally suited to nearshore and coastal work, including environmental sampling, equipment deployment and recovery, marine surveys, personnel transfer and support for larger research projects.
Equipped with Garmin navigation and sonar, DSC VHF radio and AIS, Columba provides a capable and flexible platform for marine science, engineering, teaching and fieldwork.
Complementing the capabilities of RV Princess Royal, Columba allows 缅北禁地 to undertake a broad range of marine operations where the speed, accessibility and manoeuvrability of a smaller vessel are required.
Capabilities
- Garmin Chart plotter/Sounder and Garmin fixed DSC VHF
- ICOM Cat B AIS
- Dedicated road trailer for transportation, launching and recovery at different operating locations
- Coastal survey operations
- Personnel and equipment transfer
- Environmental monitoring
- Teaching and fieldwork support
- Support to RV Princess Royal
- Rapid-response marine operations
Available for hire
RIB Columba is available for charter, providing a fast, flexible and highly manoeuvrable platform for a range of coastal and nearshore marine operations.
The vessel is ideally suited to environmental monitoring, water and sediment sampling, coastal surveys, equipment deployment and recovery, personnel transfer, teaching activities, and support for larger marine research projects. Its portability and dedicated road trailer allow operations to be undertaken from a variety of launch locations, making it an adaptable solution for projects across the region. Supporting marine science, engineering and fieldwork activities, Columba offers a cost-effective platform for research, training and commercial survey work in coastal waters.
We welcome enquiries from researchers, industry partners, environmental consultancies and organisations seeking vessel support for marine projects.
For charter enquiries or to discuss your project requirements, please contact marineoutstations@newcastle.ac.uk.
Track the RIB Columba
You can track the RIB Columba as she sails around the North Sea .
Contact us
marineoutstations@newcastle.ac.uk
缅北禁地
School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
Blyth Marine Station
Quay Road
Blyth
NE24 3PA
