PUTRAJAYA: Seabed Constructor, the vessel deployed to search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 aircraft, is on its way to Australia for refuelling, says Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The Transport Minister confirmed that the search ship is en route to Fremantle, Western Australia for a scheduled stop.

"The ship is on its way back to port for replenishing. Further details of the search will be provided to the press by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA)," said Liow, when met by reporters at his ministry here.

Seabed Constructor belongs to American firm Ocean Infinity, which was hired by the Malaysian government to search for the plane that went missing on March 2014.

The vessel began its search in the Indian Ocean on Jan 22, but it turned off its transponder on Feb 1 without explanation.

The ship re-emerged on radar three days later and appeared to be on its way to Fremantle.

Liow assured that the search mission was on course and the company had "every right" to switch off their transponder.

"We realise that there are many people tracking the ship's movement, so when the ship's transponder is switched off, people will be curious and ask what's happening.

But it is all normal, and if they want to switch it off, they have every right to do so," said Liow.

He added that there are two Royal Malaysian Navy representatives aboard the vessel providing daily reports to the DCA on the search.

Ocean Infinity has 90 days to find MH370, under a "no cure, no fee" agreement with Malaysia.

If it manages to find the aircraft, the company will be rewarded between US$20mil (RM78mil) to US$70mil (RM273mil), depending on the area the plane is found.