Shipyard workers look on as naturalist Sir David Attenborough takes part in the keel-laying ceremony of the new polar research ship for Britain, RRS Sir David Attenborough, which is named after him, at Cammell Laird shipyard, on October 17, 2016 in Birkenhead, England. World-renowned naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough initiated the lifting of the first block. The RRS Sir David Attenborough is being built by Cammell Laird and operated by British Antarctic Survey. The new research ship will be one of the most advanced in the world. The keel-laying ceremony is a maritime tradition said to bring luck to the ship during her construction and to the captain and crew during her life.