Abstract: A water vessel of the floating-dock type is provided with an arrangement for adapting the vessel for seismic or similar research. A platform is mounted above the cargo deck and extends between the side walls of the vessel. Research equipment including at least a measurement cable mounted on a reel is supported on the platform. The measurement cable is passed from the reel through the stern door of the vessel into the sea. Cables for transmitting impulses to be measured are situated within spaces provided within the side walls of the vessel so as to be lowerable into the sea from the stern ends of the side walls. According to one embodiment, the platform is mounted so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the vessel. By means of the invention, a vessel of the floating-dock type can be converted to a vessel suitable for research operations in an economical manner.