Sydney Harbour, Fleet Base Woolloomooloo Bay. 31 March 2011.

Her voyage is part of the Malaspina expedition, an international project to assess the impact of climate change and pollution on the oceans and explore marine biodiversity. From Sydney she will search for radioactivity from the Fukushima nuclear plant in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Spain is a full member of the Antarctic Treaty and carries out scientific campaigns in the Antarctic. The Spanish Navy takes part in those campaigns with the “Hespérides” (A-33) in charge of providing logistic support to the Spanish Bases in the Area: “Juan Carlos I” in Livingston Island and “Gabriel de Castilla” in Deception Island.

See Commanding Officer blog at http://www.armada.mde.es/ArmadaPortal/page/Portal/ArmadaEspannola/buques_superficie/14_Inv_Oceano
This includes Ship Data
Length: 82.5 m. ..... Beam: 14.3 m...... Displacement: 2,827.8 Tons. ..... Draft: 5.46 m.
Propulsion: Diesel-electric with 4 diesel generators (3,900KVA), 2 engines c/c (2,800 kw)
Speed: 14.7 knots. ..... Speed breaking ice: 5 knots with 40 cms. thick ice.
Range: 12,000 miles, at 12 knots.
Scientists: 37 ..... Complement: 54

Following data from Wikipedia :

Operator: Spanish Navy
Port of registry: Cartagena, Spain
Builder: Bazán, Cartagena .... Laid down: 14 November 1988 .... Launched: 12 March 1990
Commissioned: 16 May 1991 .... Refit: 2003-2004

General characteristics :
Displacement: 1,983 t (1,952 long tons) standard
2,750 t (2,707 long tons) full ... Length: 82.5 m (270 ft 8 in) ... Beam: 14.3 m (46 ft 11 in)
Height: 7.35 m (24 ft 1 in) ... Draft: 4.42 m (14 ft 6 in)
Ice class: 1C
Propulsion: 2 × Bazán- M.AN. Burmeister & Wain 14V, 1,904 hp (1,420 kW)
Speed: 14.7 knots (27.2 km/h) .... 5 knots (9.3 km/h) in ice 0.5 m
Range: 12,000 nmi (22,000 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph) .... Endurance: 120 days
Complement: 29 scientists .... Crew: 58
Sensors and processing systems: 2 × DGPS .... 2 radar ARPA ECDIS .... GMDSS
Aircraft carried: 1 × Agusta-Bell 212 helicopter .... Aviation facilities: Hangar