The ambitious mega yacht project “REV Ocean” has taken a further step for the time after delivery: a ship manager has been found in V.Ships.
The V.Group company, one of the largest ship managers in the world, has announced a partnership with REV Ocean, owned by Norwegian industrialist Kjell inge Rokke.
This involves a “customized package of ship management services for the world’s largest and most advanced research and expedition vessel”.
It was recently announced that the “REV Ocean” project at Damen Shipyards, which has already been delayed several times, will be continued.
The “REV Ocean” is scheduled to sail from Vard Søviknes to Damen Shiprepair in Vlissingen (Netherlands) on March 2, 2025, in order to carry out final outfitting work on the yacht before it is due to be fully commissioned in early 2027. V.Ships took over the management of the vessel back in December 2024, and one of the organization’s first tasks was to find an experienced crew for this first voyage.
The yacht was designed by the well-known designer Espen Oeino. The steel hull was first built at the Vard shipyard in Tulcea, Romania, and then towed to Norway for further outfitting work. The whole process took place several years ago. The “REV Ocean” was originally due to be delivered by the shipyard in 2020. But then, three years ago, it turned out that she was too heavy. After adjustments, construction continued last year at Vard in Norway.
“REV Ocean” with modern technology on board
Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen (DSV) and Rossilini’s Four-10 recently signed an outfitting contract. This covers both the interior and exterior of the ultra-modern research and expedition vessel.
The 194.4 m long and 22 m wide ship was originally estimated to cost €500 million. Designed in accordance with the IMO’s Polar Code for operations in Arctic and Antarctic waters, the “REV Ocean” is primarily a research vessel and is intended to play a special role in marine research. To this end, it will be equipped for missions that cover the entire marine ecosystem. The equipment will include scientific trawls, sonar systems, laboratories, auditoriums and classrooms as well as submarines.
The vessel is designed to be powered by diesel-electric engines, with an additional 3 MW lithium-ion battery pack for peak load operation, ensuring optimum efficiency on board.
Dag Christoffersen, Managing Director of V.Ships Norway, said: “REV Ocean’s decision to build the largest vessel of its kind in the world, equipped with the world’s most advanced technology and scientific equipment, requires ship management support from a partner with unrivaled delivery capability. In addition to V.Shpis’ global reach and service offering, REV Ocean will benefit from the local expertise of our Norwegian office, which has close ties with the Kjell Inge Røkke group of companies and extensive knowledge of the Norwegian Maritime Authority’s guidelines.”
Per Bjørnsen, CEO of V.Ships Leisure, added: “We are delighted to welcome REV Ocean – which is not only a research vessel but also the largest yacht in the world – to our fleet at a time when we are seeing an increasing demand for our yacht management services.”
Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean, commented: “V’s unrivalled experience across a range of maritime sectors means that they are well equipped to meet the need for versatility and specialization that will be required for REV Ocean.” V’s “excellent track record” in expedition cruises, including those in polar waters, should ensure that the vessel and crew on board will be able to cope with the most demanding environments. “At the same time, their digital platform will play an essential role in ensuring that all operations are efficient and optimized, with the benefit of having real-time data available around the clock to inform decisions and actions on each expedition,” Jensen continued.
