The RV Plymouth Quest has returned from refit, ready for new voyages. Our scientific research vessel is a key component in completing many projects at PML Applications, PML (Plymouth Marine Laboratory), and with our clients. Fitted with specialist equipment and now more capable than ever, she is back in regular duties and is available for charter.
Plymouth Quest went to Penzance to undergo an extensive refit that covered an array of functional features, from upgrades to new additions. Her Skipper, Andrew (Andy) Perkin, who has been working at PML for almost twenty years, talks through the new features and explains more about the refit process:
“One of the biggest upgrades we’ve had fitted is a bow thruster – this significantly improves the manoeuvrability for research vessels during sampling at sea. It means we can make precise lateral movements – important for station-keeping in confined or challenging environments such as near coastal areas or during sensitive sampling procedures. This bow thruster helps in positioning the vessel accurately. It can do this even in adverse conditions, like strong currents or wind.”
“This will make sampling trips safer for crew and scientists on board by enabling quick adjustments and minimising drift during sampling. It also reduces the need for continuous main engine adjustments, so this helps save fuel and minimise environmental disturbances, which is crucial as we aim to interfere with marine life as little as possible.”
RV Plymouth Quest
The team worked with local businesses, including APR Marine Fabrications and Penwith Marine Services, to complete this upgrade.
On deck, there have been some exciting upgrades too:
“We’ve also had brand new hydraulics fitted; these power critical equipment on board, like the winches, thrusters and all mechanical items – basically, all of the machinery that helps us collect all of the different kinds of marine samples needed to deliver the science.”
“Modern hydraulic systems are essential for meeting the latest marine regulations. Quest ticks all of the right regulatory boxes – upgraded so that it’s safer, more reliable, and fully legal – and just as importantly, it makes sure we stay operational, compliant, and ready for whatever the next voyage throws at us. Again, all of this work has been completed thanks to APR Fabrications and Penwith Marine Services.”
On Deck of the RV Plymouth Quest
Upgrades To Facilities for the Crew
The transformation is evident throughout the top deck and control room. Next to the main controls is an additional group of controls for the new bow thruster.
It’s not just the mechanics of the Plymouth Quest that have been updated; the crew and clients can also enjoy a more comfortable mess area, galley and facilities. This includes a new office space and additional kitchen units. The Plymouth Quest has facilities for multiple-day voyages with cabins onboard, so the comfort of the crew and clients has been prioritised in the redesign.
Where she used to have a dark, cavernous ‘fish room’, there is now easy access beneath the main deck using a staircase to replace the old hatch and ladder, ensuring it is accessible when out at sea. This space now features overhead lighting and a new shower room and toilet room. It is with thanks to Lozynski Carpentry and Marine Services that the interior rooms are looking so fresh and inviting.
New Scientific Equipment and Technology
The latest scientific instruments and water tanks are also installed in this state-of-the-art space, designed to futureproof and modernise the vessel’s scientific research capabilities.
During the refit, while the bulkheads were removed, Ross Sanders, Kieran Pechelski, and James Fishwick from PML’s Marine Technology and Autonomy team installed new infrastructure throughout the vessel. This included an advanced computer network interconnecting all operational areas as well as a dedicated power supply for scientific instruments, utilising 24v and 12v systems.
Professor James Fishwick, Head of the Marine Technology and Autonomy group at PML, tells us more about the new technology:
“Drawing on over 25 years of operational experience, we have implemented access and control boxes at strategic locations, including the main deck, mast, and bow. These boxes provide versatile access points for both power and data connectivity, enabling seamless integration of scientific equipment. All data and control lines now converge at a central system control unit located in the former fish room. From this hub, data from onboard sensors can be routed to newly installed displays across the vessel.”
“Furthermore, key scientific sensors have been fully integrated into the network, making GPS, meteorological data, and information from the underway sensor suite accessible throughout the ship, eliminating the need for additional cabling. The vessel is now capable of collecting high-resolution scientific data via both its autonomous underway sampling systems and the advanced water column profiling rosette.”
“To support real-time data transmission to Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), the team have integrated the onboard systems into the advanced mesh network that underpins the Western Channel Observatory. This enables seamless transmission of data while at sea, with automated processing and online availability through established PML data pipelines.”
“These comprehensive upgrades significantly enhance the operational capabilities of the Plymouth Quest, positioning her as a versatile platform for modern oceanographic research. She is now equipped to support and coordinate with autonomous surface and subsurface vehicles, reinforcing PML’s leadership in marine science and supporting key initiatives such as the Western Channel Observatory, the National Centre for Coastal Autonomy, and Smart Sound Plymouth.”
RV Plymouth Quest, Technical Equipment
PML Applications, Sam Fawcett tells us how this will impact the Centre for Coastal Technology:
“We are overjoyed to see the return of the newly refurbished Plymouth Quest, providing a reliable and safe mechanism to access the marine environment for equipment deployment and scientific monitoring. Following this recent work, she is fully up to spec and has undergone a rigorous shakedown. I look forward to working with our highly skilled crew, with decades of experience operating at sea, in the coming months to put her through her paces. As before, our operational approach is a clear and customer-focused one, working flexibly around needs and the all-important weather operational windows. For those more familiar with the vessel, we are still using HVO as our preferred fuel type as part of our continuous efforts to decrease our own impact on the marine environment and help our clients do the same.”
PML and PML Applications are committed to minimising environmental impact so Plymouth Quest runs on clean fuel, using recycled vegetable oil; Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) diesel.
“It’s been a lot of work, and I am beyond proud of the crew for the hours and energy they’ve put in. They’ve been travelling down to Penzance every day on the train to the workshop to get stuck in with the refit. They’ve been long days.”
Skipper Andy Perkin
RV Plymouth Quest
Background Information for the Plymouth Quest
- She was built in 2001 in Dalian, China, as a wet fish trawler.
- She was originally in service in Iceland under the name Sigurbjorg.
- In 2004, she was acquired by Plymouth Marine Laboratory from the Icelandic owner.
- In July 2004, she was renamed the Plymouth Quest in a naming ceremony.
- She is an essential part of the Western-Channel Observatory research, the longest time-series dataset in the UK.
For further information and full specifications for the Plymouth Quest, click here to download the RV Plymouth Quest Specification Sheet or visit our dedicated Quest Hire page.
With an expert crew and specialist equipment on board, the Plymouth Quest is ready to support your project.
If you have a project that would benefit from the capabilities of the Plymouth Quest, please contact Sam Fawcett at PML Applications by email at facilityhire@pml.ac.uk or telephone, +44 (0)1752 633 412 to discuss your project with our expert team.
