Where is ARA AUSTRAL now?

ARA AUSTRAL (Research vessel, Argentina flag) was last seen on AIS on Oct 3, 2026, 12:16 UTC, under way at 6.2 kn, near Mar del Plata (South Atlantic Ocean). The crew-entered destination was MAR DEL PLATA (voyage report via AISstream.io global terrestrial AIS, received Oct 3, 2026, 11:49 UTC). This report does not confirm the ship’s current route.

What kind of ship is ARA AUSTRAL?

ARA AUSTRAL is a research vessel sailing under the flag of Argentina, built in 1969 by Rickmers Werft. The vessel is 97.6 m long with a beam of 14.2 m and has a gross tonnage of 3,557.

What sanctions and inspection records does Voydar hold for ARA AUSTRAL?

Voydar has no matched sanctions record displayed for ARA AUSTRAL from the OFAC SDN list, the UK Sanctions List, the Canadian autonomous sanctions list, the EU list of designated vessels, the New Zealand Russia Sanctions Register and the French national asset-freeze register. Coverage may be incomplete; this is not sanctions clearance. No matched inspection records are displayed for ARA AUSTRAL. Missing records do not establish whether the ship has been detained.

ARA AUSTRAL

Research vessel · Argentina · built 1969 · AIS Class A

IMO6909777MMSI701833000Call signLOCYLast AIS position Oct 3, 2026, 12:16 UTC

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In short

ARA AUSTRAL (Research vessel, Argentina flag) was last seen on AIS on Oct 3, 2026, 12:16 UTC, under way at 6.2 kn, near Mar del Plata (South Atlantic Ocean). Its crew-entered AIS destination is MAR DEL PLATA, with an ETA of Oct 3, 2026, 09:00 UTC; its reported draught is 7.2 m (voyage report via AISstream.io global terrestrial AIS, received Oct 3, 2026, 11:49 UTC).

Vessel type: Research vessel
Flag: Argentina
Year built: 1969
Gross tonnage: 3,557
Size (length × beam): 98 m × 14 m
Registered owner: —

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Photo of Austral — Photo: Argentina.gob.ar (Government of Argentina) · Licence: CC BY 2.5 ar · via Wikimedia Commons

Last reported position

received Oct 3, 2026, 12:16 UTC

Position: 37.9394° S, 57.3498° W
Area: South Atlantic Ocean
StatusWhat do AIS statuses mean?: Under way using engine
Speed: 6.2 kn
Course: 50°
Heading: 49°

37.9394° S, 57.3498° W

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Voydar detected no port call in the last 30 days.

Port calls are detected by Voydar from AIS (at least 30 minutes slow inside a harbour area); see Port calls below.

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Identity & particulars

Name: ARA AUSTRAL
IMO numberWhat is an IMO number?: 6909777
MMSIWhat is an MMSI?: 701833000
Call signWhat is a call sign?: LOCY
Flag: Argentina
Vessel type: Research vessel
AIS ship type: Other
Gross tonnageGross tonnage vs deadweight: 3,557
Length overall: 97.6 m
Beam: 14.2 m
Year built: 1969

A tag next to a value names the register that supplied it (hover or tap it for the record and date). Values without a tag come from the ship's own AIS broadcasts or from Wikidata. Position and identity are derived live from AIS.

Ownership & management

Each line shows where the fact comes from. Links backed by an identifier point to the company page.

Registered owner: RF Forschungsschiffahrt(Former)
Source: Wikidata · until 2014 · reported · confidence 0.8 · retrieved Sep 22, 2026
Operator: Argentine Navy
Source: Wikidata · since 2015 · reported · confidence 0.8 · retrieved Sep 22, 2026
Builder: Rickmers Werft
Source: Wikidata · reported · confidence 0.8 · retrieved Sep 22, 2026

Timeline

Dated events for this ship from every source Voydar holds, newest first. Each line names its source; derived items say how they were derived.

Date	Event	Source
Nov 12, 2003	Reported departure from MiamiAuthority-reported	USACE foreign traffic vessel entrances & clearances
Nov 11, 2003	Reported arrival at MiamiAuthority-reported	USACE foreign traffic vessel entrances & clearances
Oct 24, 2003	Reported departure from Corpus ChristiAuthority-reported	USACE foreign traffic vessel entrances & clearances

Owner, operator and manager changes found by comparing yearly EU MRV reports are dated to the reporting year ("during 2025"), not to a day. Port calls here are the most recent only; the full lists are further down.

Port calls

Two kinds of evidence, kept apart: calls Voydar detected from the ship's AIS positions, and arrivals and departures published by port authorities and customs records.

Reported by authorities Authority-reported

Port	Record	Date (UTC)	Berth	Source
Miami USMIA	Departure	Nov 12, 2003(date only)	—	USACE foreign traffic vessel entrances & clearances
Miami USMIA	Arrival	Nov 11, 2003(date only)	—	USACE foreign traffic vessel entrances & clearances
Corpus Christi USCRP	Departure	Oct 24, 2003(date only)	—	USACE foreign traffic vessel entrances & clearances
Corpus Christi USCRP	Arrival	Oct 23, 2003(date only)	—	USACE foreign traffic vessel entrances & clearances

Records published by the authority named on each row. Earliest record for this ship: October 23, 2003.

Source: US Army Corps of Engineers, Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center (US CBP entrance/clearance records). Licence: US Government work — public domain.

About ARA AUSTRAL

RV Sonne (German for 'Sun') is a former German fishing trawler converted into a research vessel by Schichau Unterweser AG, doing mostly geoscience-related work for a variety of commercial and scientific clients. She was registered in Bremen. In 2015 she was sold to the Argentine institute CONICET and was renamed ARA Austral (Q-21). A new geoscientific research ship, also called RV Sonne, replaced her role in Germany that same year.

Summary from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA.

Frequently asked questions

Where is ARA AUSTRAL now?: ARA AUSTRAL (Research vessel, Argentina flag) was last seen on AIS on Oct 3, 2026, 12:16 UTC, under way at 6.2 kn, near Mar del Plata (South Atlantic Ocean). The crew-entered destination was MAR DEL PLATA (voyage report via AISstream.io global terrestrial AIS, received Oct 3, 2026, 11:49 UTC). This report does not confirm the ship’s current route.
What kind of ship is ARA AUSTRAL?: ARA AUSTRAL is a research vessel sailing under the flag of Argentina, built in 1969 by Rickmers Werft. The vessel is 97.6 m long with a beam of 14.2 m and has a gross tonnage of 3,557.
What sanctions and inspection records does Voydar hold for ARA AUSTRAL?: Voydar has no matched sanctions record displayed for ARA AUSTRAL from the OFAC SDN list, the UK Sanctions List, the Canadian autonomous sanctions list, the EU list of designated vessels, the New Zealand Russia Sanctions Register and the French national asset-freeze register. Coverage may be incomplete; this is not sanctions clearance. No matched inspection records are displayed for ARA AUSTRAL. Missing records do not establish whether the ship has been detained.

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