By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor
The general public are being asked to propose names for the UK’s new polar research ship and way out in front is…Boaty McBoatface.
This wild suggestion for The National Research Council’s (NERC) next Royal Research Ship (RRS), is beating RRS Henry Worseley and RRS David Attenborough at the moment. You get the feeling people are not taking the naming of this ship too seriously.
The new ship will replace the existing RRS James Clark Ross and RRS Ernest Shackleton, which work in the Arctic and Antarctic.
The boat will be 128 metres long and weigh around 15,000 tonnes, and up to 90 scientists and support staff could live on board. The £200m vessel is due to be operational in 2019.
There is still time to vote and to put over your own ideas. RRS Usain Boat, RRS Ice Ice Baby and RRS Boatimus Prime are already in the running.