The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Locals will see double Discovery ships dock
Dundee is hosting two ships with the same iconic name for the first time. The modern-day RRS Discovery – built just over a decade ago – is in the city to visit its namesake, which is more than a century old.
The visit is taking place to celebrate 100 years since the Dundee-based Discovery was given the RRS designation.
The newer Discovery is docking in the city until Sunday, with members of the public having already snapped up tickets to take tours of the research ship.
How do the vessels compare? 2012 RRS Discovery
The modern RRS Discovery, built in 2012, is a multi-disciplinary ship, specifically designed for the challenges of 21st Century oceanography.
Operated by the National Oceanography Centre, it is estimated to have cost about £75 million to build and is designed primarily to carry out deep ocean research.
The vessel was manufactured by Freire Shipyard (CNP Freire) in Vigo, northern Spain. A total of 24 crew members and 28 scientists can be accommodated, with facilities including a bar-lounge, a library, a video room, a fitness centre and a hospital. The ship is 99.7m long and 18m wide.
1901 RRS Discovery
The original RRS Discovery was built in Dundee in 1901 and was the first purpose-built scientific research vessel for the polar regions.
It cost £34,050 to build, plus another £10,322 to be fitted with engines and machinery, and more than £6,000 for other equipment and fittings. The total cost was £51,000 – the equivalent of £4.1m in today’s money.
The ship is shorter than its namesake at 52m in length.
It also has a working sail area measuring at more than 12,000sq ft. Its first use was for what became known as the Discovery Expedition (1901-04) during which the ship spent two years locked in the ice.
During this expedition, 48 officers, scientists and crew were on board. They lived on the mess deck, described as having no privacy and the air “thick with the smell of damp clothes and unwashed men”.
To mark the visit of the ship, Discovery Point is offering free entry for children between Friday and Sunday. They will need to be accompanied by a paying adult to qualify.