Discover the Sonne: Ratings & Maritime News

Vessels Sonne and Maria S. Merian are currently undergoing preparations at Lloyd Yard in Bremerhaven, with plans to embark on a crucial supply mission to the research vessel Polarstern on May 18. This expedition aims to provide essential equipment, food supplies, and crew replacements for the scientists and crew working in the Arctic Ocean. Originally, Polarstern was scheduled to receive supplies via icebreakers and aircraft, but the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused significant disruptions, leading to the closure of numerous ports and airports in the region. Consequently, the supply strategy had to be adapted. Polarstern will depart from its ice floe and rendezvous with Sonne and Maria S. Merian at the ice barrier for the exchange of goods and personnel.

In a significant milestone for maritime research, Chancellor Angela Merkel officially launched and named Germany's most advanced research vessel to date, the €124.4 million 'Sonne'. The unveiling took place on July 11th at Meyer subsidiary Neptun, located in Rostock-Warnemünde, during a traditional ceremony attended by approximately 300 distinguished guests. This remarkable vessel, measuring 116 meters in length and 20.6 meters in width, is a product of 20 months of construction which took place at Neptun and its parent company Meyer Werft in Papenburg, followed by successful sea trials. The new Sonne is designed as a multi-functional workhorse, set to replace its predecessor, a 97.6-meter long and 14.2-meter wide vessel still operated by Reederei RF Forschungsschiffahrt in Bremen. The new ship is gearing up to embark on its deep-sea missions starting January 2024, focusing on research expeditions in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Meyer Werft's chief, Bernard Meyer, expressed that the design and construction process was "a big challenge", highlighting the sophisticated technological requirements that the scientific community demanded from the new research ship. The commissioning of Sonne marks a major advancement in Germany's commitment to marine research and exploration.