The historic oceanographic research vessel RV Dagon has remained moored at the Port of Las Palmas facilities this October to undergo provisioning, technical maintenance and crew logistics. Operated by marine research organization Inkfish, the vessel is calling at the capital of Gran Canaria as part of its international deep-sea exploration operations. The ship has been assisted by Romeu’s Canary Islands subsidiary, Camnarship. This content was produced independently by the editorial team and does not constitute advertising or result from any commercial agreement or sponsorship.
Built in 1985 by U.S. shipbuilder Tacoma Boat Building Co. under the name USNS Indomitable, the nearly four-decade-old vessel has an exceptional operational history. Originally designed for the United States Navy to track Soviet submarines using towed sonar systems during the Cold War, the vessel later served in counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean before being transferred to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where it operated as a scientific research vessel under the name McArthur II.
In 2018, the ship was acquired by explorer Victor Vescovo through the company Caladan Oceanic. Renamed DSSV Pressure Drop and equipped with a 12-ton-capacity crane, state-of-the-art Kongsberg sonars and the Limiting Factor submersible, the vessel played a central role in the historic Five Deeps Expedition. Between 2018 and 2019, it served as a base for reaching the bottom of the five deepest ocean trenches on Earth for the first time, including the world record for the deepest dive in the Mariana Trench, at a depth of 10,927 meters.
Ownership of the vessel changed hands again in 2022, when it was acquired by the Inkfish foundation, established by Gabe Newell, co-founder of video game company Valve Corporation. Under its current name, RV Dagon, and supporting the Bakunawa submersible, the ship operates as an open-science platform for the international scientific community. During its recent campaigns, the vessel has completed expeditions in the South Pacific and the Nova Canton Trench, documenting marine biodiversity at depths of up to 8,000 meters.
Its stay at the Port of Las Palmas this October further consolidates the Gran Canarian port as a strategic Atlantic stopover for highly specialized scientific vessels. From the capital of Gran Canaria, the Dagon is preparing for its next ocean missions as its owner advances construction of new research vessels that will expand its global scientific fleet.
The article Romeu in Las Palmas with former spy ship now used by Inkfish for fishing was first published on canarymaritime.com.
