Melville was chartered to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography for operation by the Office of Naval Research as part of the UNOLS fleet.

[6][7] Though often listed as a Robert D. Conrad-class oceanographic research ship the ship is of an entirely different appearance, design and size as evidenced by Melville's[8] 2,944 vs. Conrad's[9] 1,370 loaded displacement, dimensions of 279' X 46' X 16.6' as opposed to Conrad's 208'10" X 37'5" X 15'2", general appearance and layout and, most distinctly, completely different propulsion systems and capabilities.

Melville was configured as a general purpose oceanographic vessel of the Global Class operating world wide.

It was this expedition that discovered deep sea high temperature hydrothermal vents using the submersible Alvin and other oceanographic instruments.

The ship was renamed BRP Gregorio Velasquez, after a Filipino National Scientist, and assigned the pennant number AGR-702.