Topic summary
Royal Research Ship
A Royal Research Ship (RRS) is a merchant navy vessel of the United Kingdom that conducts scientific research on behalf of His Majesty's Government. Before a ship can be designated as an RRS, a warrant from the monarch is required.
Organisations operating Royal Research Ships include the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). In the 1950s and 1960s, the ships were owned by the Admiralty and partially managed by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The current fleet comprises three active vessels operated under NERC, while a number of notable ships have been retired from service.