The French architect Jacques Rougerie has come up with a new concept for a futuristic SeaOrbiter. He has been working on this design for the past 12 years and now believes that what he has conceived can be developed into reality. The vessel will start its construction in October this year and will be completed within a year by 2013. The vessel, being called as the SeaOrbiter, will be the world’s first vertical ship. It will measure 52 meters (170 feet) in the air, but the 50% of it will remain underwater. The total cost of the project has been estimated to be US$52.7 million.

It will have all the new standard of scientific communication that will allow researchers to explore the aquatic life in a better way. There is a team of 18 marine scientists will be on the vessel and they will get to explore as much as they want to and in a way that they have never been able to before. The vessel will not disturb the natural underwater life and allow researchers to explore it as it is. Also, the SeaOrbiter is semi-submersible and can go around 31 meters (102 feet) deep inside the water. The scientists onboard can also observe migrating birds through an open-air observation terrace on the deck.

Also, the submerged areas will have portholes and panoramic windows which will make it the state of the art underwater observatory. The vessel will also have oceanographic observational and sonic equipment with satellite facilities and this will also allow scientists to live in unexplored parts of the ocean. It really does sound like a dream come true ship for scientists, but it could very well be just a selling point. Unless seen in reality, till then we all have to wait what further helping hand it could lend to the scientist community.