The Ocean Seeker slipped into Halifax harbour largely unnoticed earlier this month. The 20-metre long aluminum catamaran is tied up at a former coast guard base in Dartmouth where it will spend the winter.

Despite the low-key arrival, Ocean Seeker represents a milestone for a major Canadian program to promote the ocean economy.

In the coming months, the former RCMP patrol vessel, owned by Kraken Robotics of St. John’s, will undergo a $2-million retrofit to carry sophisticated sonars and lasers capable of capturing detailed images of the ocean floor.