The largest research vessel on Europe's inland waters, built within the project "Integrated system for complex environmental research and monitoring in the Danube River area, REXDAN, 127065", docked today in Galati port.

"We are talking about a unique project, both through the quality of the people who will work on the ship and the equipment. It is a ship that will cover a wide range of research, under the umbrella of sustainable development. We will make the determination of environmental factors, biodiversity, water quality, sediment quality, bird activity and ichthyofauna. Also, with the equipment provided, the Danube route will be scanned for recommendations regarding future works. On shore, we will have an important educational activity: everything that will be done on the ship will be filmed and broadcast to the public, but also to researchers. In large cities that have universities, the ship will act as a mobile campus", explained the Rector of "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Professor Puiu-Lucian Georgescu, PhD to those who came to wait for her at the pontoon in front of the Palace of Navigation.

The value of the vessel is approximately 7.5 million euros and of the equipment 2 million euros.

The REXDAN ship is the mobile part of the project "Integrated system for complex environmental research and monitoring in the Danube River area". There is also a fixed part, on George Cosbuc Street, within a center with 18 laboratories, where sensitive equipment was installed, which could not be mounted on the ship.

The first research trip will cover the Romanian Danube and will bring together young researchers from DJUG and other university centers in Romania.