The Danish-designed instrument known as the Triaxus will be towed behind the $122 million research boat Investigator to monitor everything from plankton to water properties.

Investigator left Singapore on Sunday night, and is due to arrive in Tasmania on September 8 after months of delays.

The 95-metre vessel can house 40 scientists at a time, and will be based at Hobart’s waterfront.

Once it arrives, it will be fitted out with nearly $7 million worth of research equipment.

The boat faced issues during its building stage and was due to arrive in Hobart earlier this year.

Future Research Vessel Project executive director Toni Moate said the delays were within the expectations for a boat of its size and capacity.

‘‘Investigator is one of the world’s most sophisticated multipurpose research ships,’’ Ms Moate said.

‘‘It will allow us to answer questions we’ve not been able to answer in the past,’’ she said.

CSIRO scientist Dr Lindsay Pender said the Triaxus could be programmed to operate from the surface down to 350 metres.

Dr Pender said the $400,000 piece of equipment could be used for biological, oceanographic, meteorological and geographical research.

The new vessel has triple the capacity of the CSIRO’s previous research ship.