A barge for underwater excavation surveys is set to begin operation during the second half of this year.

The National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage on Thursday held a launch ceremony for the barge named "Badanuri" at a marina in front of its research center in the southwestern city of Mokpo.

The 97-ton barge is 19-point-two meters long, 18 meters wide and two-point-three meters high, equipped with an underwater control room, an air compressor room, a diver elevator, and a crane.

The research center spent some two billion won, or around one-point-five million U.S. dollars, to build the barge, which is expected to help guarantee safety and efficiency of underwater surveys.

The "Badanuri" is set to join excavations and surveys in the waters off Taean, South Chungcheong Province, Jindo and Goheung in South Jeolla Province.