SIR David Attenborough attended a special ceremony at Cammell Laird today and hailed the start of construction of a polar research vessel as a "marvellous occasion."

The naturalist and TV presenter, after whom the ship will be named, initiated the laying of the first block of the keel at the Birkenhead yard.

The keel-laying is a traditional maritime ceremony to bring good fortune to a vessel during her construction and her captain and crew during her life.

Sir David planted a coin in the keel that is also supposed to bring good luck.

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Sir David (pictured, above in the construction hall at Cammell Laird) said: "It is a marvellous occasion. I have sailed on British Antarctic Survey ships before and been on a BAS station in the Antarctic, so I know what sort of thing that ship is going to go through.

"I am very flattered to be asked to lay the keel."

The £200m vessel has been commissioned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and is in the largest commercial shipbuilding project in the country in 30 years.

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The Keel of the R.R.S Sir David Attenborough in the construction hall ahead of the ceremony at Cammell Laird Shipyard

Once she sets sail in 2019, the RRS Sir David Attenborough will provide the UK with the most advanced floating research fleet in the world and will conduct research into the world's oceans and tackling climate change, the research council said.

The ship first grabbed headlines after a "name our ship" competition, in which the suggestion Boaty McBoatface topped the public poll with more than 124,000 votes, more than three times its nearest rival.

The final decision on the name was made by Science Minister Jo Johnson, and the announcement the vessel would be called after Sir David was made just days before the veteran broadcaster's 90th birthday.

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Sir David Attenborough enters the construction hall ahead of the ceremony of the Keel laying of R.R.S. at Cammell Laird 

But in a move recognising the popularity of the Boaty McBoatface moniker, it was also announced a remote-control sub-sea vehicle, which will be launched from the research vessel, would be given that name.

Asked about the importance of the work likely to be carried out by the ship, Sir David added: "It is the research that comes from the sort of vessel which this is that is important, and you might not think that way down in the Antarctic has got that much to do with us, but in point of fact a lot of weather is generated from down there and it was research that was done down there in the Antarctic which was responsible for discovering the hole in the ozone layer.

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A coin will be placed in the keel

"And it was that research that brought the world's attention to the danger, and brought scientists together to figure out how to fix it, and nations together to fix it as we have done now."

The RRS Sir David Attenborough is being built by Laird and will be operated by the British Antarctic Survey.

Linton Roberts, managing director of Cammell Laird, said: “Hull 1390 will enter the pantheon of great Cammell Laird. She will be a very special ship.

“She is no ordinary ship, and this a job for no ordinary shipyard.”

Birkenhead MP Frank Field said: "This is the largest commercial shipbuilding contract in my 37 years as Birkenhead's MP.

"A key player in securing this spectacular order was Sajid Javid, who was before the reshuffle the Business Secretary.

"He played an important role in making today happen."

The ceremony was attended by around 1,000 people including guests from science, technology and engineering spheres and the shipyard workforce.