Work has begun on a 21-metre sailing vessel that will be used to do research on dolphins and whales, however more funds are needed to complete the project

Work has begun on a 21-metre sailing vessel that will be used to do research on dolphins and whales.

The craft is being built for the International Fund for Animal Welfare Charitable Trust (IFAW) and will replace the flagship Song of the Whale, which will retire from service.

Designed by Simon Rogers, the boat will be built by Blondecell in Southampton and will include bio-acoustic technology, facilities for directly transmitting data and digital images to the Internet and a revolutionary steel hull that will enable it to sail through ice fields.

The project has won the backing of a host of high-profile UK figures, including Sir David Attenborough, Sir Chris Bonington, Sally Gunnell, David Gower, Sir Steve Redgrave and Darcy Bussell. However funds are still needed and sponsors are still being sought to back the project.