B.I.C. Humboldt is a Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

vian oceanographic research vessel, with polar capacity, built in 1978, by SIMA

SIMA Peru

SIMA-PERU S.A. , Shipyard Marine Industrial Services, SIMA, a state firm with extensive experience in Peru...

 shipyard in Callao

Callao

Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...

, Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

, in cooperation with the German Government. The ship has a capacity of 100 people, including crew and scientific staff. The vessel has visited Antarctica on several occasions to assist the Peruvian Antarctic Machu Picchu Base

Machu Picchu Base

The Machu Picchu Scientific Base is a Peruvian polar scientific research facility in Antarctica, established to conduct Antarctic research on geology, climatology and biology. More specifically, its purpose is to study the continent's geological past, potential sea resources, wind strengths, air...

. In 1989 the BIC Humboldt was the subject of a strengthening of the hull and other modifications and improvements.

This vessel was designed and built under the criteria of the Instituto del Mar del Peru (IMARPE) by (SIMA-PERU Shipyards) for scientific research. The BIC Humboldt has the most modern equipment and instruments for scientific technology. In 2010 she planned to enter the ship yards to undergo a process of general maintenance, engine replacement and modernization of all its systems.