The FRS Africana in port

ADU travels, expeditions and events

Prince Edward Islands Millennium Expedition

FRS Africana

Text and pictures by Les Underhill

The Fisheries Research Ship Africana is the flagship of Marine and Coastal Management. The ship is 78 m long and 15 m wide. Its cruising speed is 12 knots, and it has a range of 20 000 nautical miles. It can accommodate 52 people, of which about half are crew and the rest scientific and research staff. The ship was built in Durban and commissioned in 1982; it was refitted in 2001, with a major upgrade to the propulsion system and improvements to its scientific capabilities. Transporting the team for the Prince Edward Islands Millennium Expedition was the 164th scientific voyage of the FRS Africana since commissioning in 1982.

The scientists' meeting room on board

The main role of the FRS Africana is to be the platform at sea for the research and monitoring that guide the management of South Africa's offshore fisheries. The ship is specially designed so that it is one of the best vessels in the world for hydro-acoustic surveys which are used to estimate the biomass of fish in the ocean. It can deploy underwater sensors to depths of up to 6000 m. Over the years, it has been extensively used for biological, physical and oceanographic research.

The FRS Africana is based in Cape Town, and is managed for Marine and Coastal Management by Smit Pentow Marine.

The FRS Africana at sea off Marion Island