The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) announced that it will hold the commissioning ceremony for the 'Ieodo No. 2' on the 20th at the KIOST Southern Research Institute dock located in Jangmok-myeon, Geoje.
About 200 attendees, including Kim Myung-jin, Director of Marine Policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Shin Geum-ja, Chairperson of the Geoje City Council, Hyun Jeong-ho, Chairperson of KIOST, Lee Hee-seung, President of KIOST, and Jeon Sung-il, Captain of Ieodo No. 2, are expected to celebrate the commissioning of Ieodo No. 2.
The newly commissioned 'Ieodo No. 2' is a new research vessel built to replace the aging existing research vessel 'Ieodo', with a total tonnage of 732 tons and a maximum speed of 13.5 knots (approximately 25 km/h), significantly improving its operational performance and research capabilities. While the old 'Ieodo' was equipped with 20 types of research equipment, 'Ieodo No. 2' is equipped with a total of 34 advanced research and observation devices that can monitor the physical and chemical properties of the ocean in real time.
In particular, 'Ieodo No. 2' is the first research vessel in Korea under 1000 tons to apply a Dynamic Positioning (DP) system. It can maintain the vessel's position stably even under various weather and sea conditions, enabling safer and more precise research. Additionally, it is equipped with an Azimuth Thruster that allows the vessel to rotate freely 360 degrees horizontally, ensuring propulsion and maneuverability.
Moreover, by incorporating a 'fixed-pulling underwater positioning measurement system,' it is expected to obtain more accurate observational data to clarify hydrological and meteorological circulation characteristics and ocean-attributable climate change by determining the real-time position of equipment operating underwater and on the seafloor, such as submarines, underwater gliders, and sampling devices.
The decommissioning ceremony for 'Ieodo' took place on Nov. 26 last year at the KIOST Southern Research Institute dock. Ieodo operated for 6,894 days and traveled 680,000 km over 33 years since its commissioning. It contributed significantly to the advancement of ocean science through various marine research activities, including marine circulation climate exploration, current characteristics investigation, and environmental surveys of marine defense operation areas in both domestic coastal and overseas waters.
Lee Hee-seung, President of KIOST, noted that 'the research vessel equipped with advanced equipment serves as an important research foundation for strengthening national maritime capabilities.' He emphasized, 'Through the greatly enhanced operational performance and research capabilities of 'Ieodo No. 2', it is expected to play a significant role in providing the scientific basis necessary for establishing related policies by comprehensively observing and predicting changes in the marine environment around the Korean Peninsula.'