Previous name:
Subsequent name:                                                                          
Official Number:                           304401

Class:                                           Royal Research Ship (RRS)

Pennant No:

Laid down:                                 
Builder:                                         Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen                 
Launched:                                    3 July 1962
Into Service:                                 17 December 1962
Out of service:                              14 December 2012
Fate:                                             Scrapped

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: -

 

Background Data:

 

At some stage during their lives, 3 of the Royal Research Ships saw service as RFA’s

 

3 July 1962  launched by Hall, Russell & Co Ltd, Aberdeen as Yard Nr:  899 named DISCOVERY for the National  Institute of Oceanography. Named after Robert  Falcon Scott’s ship

17 December 1962 completed and manned by the RFA

5 April 1965 at Plymouth

9 August 1965 at Plymouth

February 1966 at Plymouth

13 January 1968 at Milbay Docks, Plymouth

1 January 1969 Boatswain Harold Vale Moreton awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil) in the New Years Honours List.

1 October 1969 owners now styled as the Natural  Enviroment  Research Council (NERC) National  Marine Facilities Division (NMFD) and manning was subsequently undertaken by  them

18 December 1969 the last RFA personnel departed

28 November 1976 at Santa Cruze, Tenerife

21 November 1979 ship visited by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh while berthed on the Victoria Embankment, London

November 1984 at Famouth

1 April 1989 at Barry, South Wales

19 August 1993 arrived and berthed on the River Tyne

7 September 1993 sailed from the River Tyne to sea

30 November 1993 sailed from the River Tyne to sea

23 December 1993 sailed from the River Tyne to sea

June 2008 sailed from the River Mersey to sea

22 April 2011 arrived at Southampton

14 December 2012 taken out of service