The Marine Institute operates 65 m (Ocean going) and 31 m (Regional vessel) multipurpose research vessels which are equipped with a wide varity of equipment supporting a variety of disciplines.

The Marine Institute’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Holland I is named after John Phillip Holland from Co. Clare, Ireland who was an early inventor and builder of submarines. Purchased in 2008 with the support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) the Holland I can reach depths of up to 3000 metres and is fitted with high definition video and stills cameras. It is capable of picking up delicate samples from the seabed and is also able to accommodate a wide variety of scientific equipment.

Multibeam echo sounders, CTD, seismic, coring equipment, fisheries acoustic sounders, underway waters sampling equipment.

The RV Celtic Explorer is a 65.5m multi-purpose research vessel. The vessel can accommodate 35 personnel including 20-22 scientists. The Celtic Explorer is suitable for fisheries acoustic research, oceanographic, hydrographic and geological investigations and can also accommodate the ROV Holland I as well as other ROVs. The Celtic Explorer can spend up to 35 consecutive days at sea.

The glider Laochra Na Mara is a 1000m rated Teledyne Webb/Slocum glider (G1) available to the user community for Oceanographic surveys. The Laochra na Mara can be operated from the Celtic Explorer or Celtic Voyager and may also be operated from other appropriate vessels. The system is capable of operating for up to 10 days autonomously whilst collecting CTD profiles to depths of 1000m.

The RV Celtic Voyager is the smaller of our two research vessels at 31.4m in length and can accommodate 6-8 scientists. Maximum number of consecutive days at sea is 14. The Celtic Voyager is suitable for coastal research and offshore survey operations and is used for a variety of applications including fisheries research, environmental monitoring, seabed mapping, oceanographic work, buoy maintenance and student training.