‘Jaywun’ Middle East’s Most Advanced Marine Research Vessel

According to the report, "the vessel Jaywun," a term that symbolises one of the finest and most valuable types of pearl, will enable the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi to monitor and assess the marine environment and biodiversity.

The 50-meter vessel will operate in the territorial waters of the UAE in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and allow the agency to complete its studies of the marine environment and fisheries in waters more than 10 metres deep, according to the report.

The vessel, which can accommodate about 30 people, is equipped with the latest research equipment, including six laboratories for studying samples and a remotely operated submarine vehicle.

The agency will also use the Jaywun to monitor and preserve fish stocks and marine biodiversity and help ignite a passion for oceanography and fisheries studies in the Arabian Gulf among young Emirati researchers.

The vessel will support several environmental initiatives, such as the Blue Carbon Assessment Project for Oceanic Fisheries, the first oceanic, blue carbon fisheries assessment survey in the region. The survey project was created to support the UAE’s initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and will be conducted in the country's waters, according to the report.

The ship was made by the Freire Shipbuilding Company in Vigo, Spain, with the help of a team from the agency. It was supervised by the Abu Dhabi Ship Building Company.

The report mentioned that the ship was designed and built to suit the sea conditions of the Gulf region, characterised by shallowness and high salinity.

Before the ship left for Abu Dhabi, it went through tests at sea off the coast of Spain.

The ship set out on its month-long maiden voyage at the end of November, passing through the waters of three continents—Europe, Africa, and Asia—as well as the waters of 25 countries and eight regional seas, covering a distance of over 10,000 kilometers.

Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, said, "The vessel has the capacity to conduct comprehensive marine and fisheries surveys, including basic deep-water marine environmental surveys, fisheries resource assessment surveys, coral reef and seagrass habitat surveys, studies of marine water quality and sediment, and biological surveys."

"Also, the ship will be an important part of making plans and strategies to help fish stocks recover and stay around for a long time." 

By Sumita Pawar