Research vessel Aranda – shared maritime technology and marine environment research platform by Syke and VTT
Aranda is a multipurpose research vessel used by Syke and VTT for the development of maritime technologies and marine environment research. The tailorable vessel offers possibilities to test, pilot and validate various maritime technologies and environmental solutions. You can bring your own systems or solutions aboard for testing and development, leveraging VTT's resources and expertise in areas such as sustainable maritime operations, smart shipping and Arctic navigation.
Key facts
- Aranda is owned and operated by Syke, while VTT uses the vessel to conduct R&D together with industry customers.
- Customers can bring their own systems or solutions aboard to be developed and tested.
- Synergies between maritime technologies and marine environment research create avenues for new innovations.
What is Aranda?
Research vessel Aranda, owned and operated by Syke (Finnish Environment Institute), presents a valuable shared research infrastructure for you to develop maritime and environmental technologies and research.
Aranda is a multipurpose research vessel used to monitor marine environments, study climate change and conduct research on the effects of pollution and other environmental factors on marine ecosystems. Aranda has icebreaking capabilities, allowing it to operate in harsh northern conditions. This is especially useful during the winter months in the Baltic Sea.
She is designed for oceanographic, hydrographic, geophysical and geotechnical investigations as well as buoy mooring and ROV operations. Aranda has sailed globally, visiting both Arctic and Antarctic waters.
Syke collaborates with VTT on Aranda, with VTT conducting research and development on maritime technologies together with customers.

What are the benefits of doing R&D on Aranda?
Commissioned in 1989 and modernised in 2018, Aranda is a good example of a retrofit ocean class vessel. It has various functions and provides an excellent platform to develop the research on maritime technology and innovations regarding retrofitting fleets in different phases of their lifecycle.
We combine our assets on Aranda in a way where VTT conducts research and development on maritime technologies and Syke concentrates on marine environment. This offers versatile possibilities to explore synergies in both themes.
Collaboration between VTT and Syke not only enhances technological research but also expands the use of Aranda from its current environmental research to new possibilities for the maritime industry to test, pilot and validate various technologies. The vessel offers a tailorable platform where customers can bring their own systems and solutions aboard to be tested.
Technical specification
Commissioned: 1989 (Wärtsilä dockyard Helsinki), modernisation 2018 (Rauma Marine)
Displacement: 1969t
Max endurance: 60 days
Length overall: 66.30m
Main engine: Wärtsilä Vasa 8R22 MD and Wärtsilä Vasa 12V22 MD, total 3 MW
Main generators: 2 x Strömberg 1570 kVA, 1 x 250kW
Electric engine: Corvus 2 x 100kWh, 1000VDC
Aux Engine: Scania DI09/74M, 250kW
Propulsion: Main propulsion Berg 900H/4, controllable pitch propeller, 2600mm
Bow Thruster 1. Brunvoll 11/52, 0–1500rpm, 400kW
Bow thruster 2. Schottel Pump-Jet RD132, 0–1000rpm, 360deg. 400kW
Stern thruster Bakker, PDL 60–900, 0–1500rpm, 150kW
You can find more detailed information on Aranda and its research infrastructure on the Syke website.