Talking ‘bout a REVolution

REV Ocean (where the REV stands for research expedition vessel) has been conceived with two hearts – the first is a suite of state-of-the-art marine science labs, monitoring and ocean exploration gear to help advance our knowledge of what’s going on in the oceans, and to help find and implement solutions to problems such as over-fishing, ocean plastic and myriad other challenges. The second heart is a giant, 18-cabin superyacht completed to the highest specs, with two large pools, a padel tennis court, spa treatment rooms, sumptuous guest saloons, expansive deck areas and exquisite finishes, all designed by H2 Yacht Design.

The idea is simple. For 75 percent of the time, the vessel will be in science and research mode, with up to 34 scientists on board making the most of the incredible facilities on offer as the vessel moves around the globe. The other 25 percent of the time, the vessel will be available for truly unique, expedition-style charters where guests will be able to participate in bespoke science projects and to contribute to marine conservation first-hand.

The scope and scale of the project is breathtaking, and hard to grasp even when you’re on board.

Standing at the end of the main guest aft deck, just aft of the pool, and looking forward to the huge exterior decks and the guest accommodation areas towering up in front of you is the same as standing on the aft deck of the largest yachts afloat, although with more beam, and somehow still bigger – but then you turn around and there’s another third of the vessel behind you, complete with the open boat deck, which also houses the removable padel court, and the aft structure with its helipad, commercial fishing rig, lower deck labs, tiered amphitheatre-cum-cinema, mission control area, and the moon pool which allows for the launch and retrieval of the onboard subs through the bottom of the boat.

A quick look at the figures confirms the epic nature of REV Ocean: 194.9 metres LOA, with 19,235GT of volume – and to put that gross tonnage in context, that’s the equivalent of 337 Riviera 58 Sport Motor Yachts. There’s even 1.15 million metres of wiring in the boat, totalling an estimated 220 tons.

The labs are state-of-the-art and have been designed to cater to different aspects of deep ocean research, from a fish vacuum that uses AI to single out target species and specimens, to cold labs and labs designed to handle the more dangerous – or delicate – creatures of the deep.

Then there is the equipment, which includes DSV Aurelia, the deepest-diving acrylic submersible available; ROV Aurora, a remote-operated vehicle which can operate at depths of 6,000 metres; various autonomous underwater vehicles for seabed mapping and exploration; two helipads, including a forward hangar, which also allows for guest expeditions in areas like Antarctica where two helicopters are required; and a dive centre complete with hyperbaric chamber.

The build hasn’t been all plain sailing, and after the initial build phase and launch from the Vard shipyard in Romania – at which point REV Ocean was at her designed 183.5-metre LOA – a change of plans brought her to Norway for the next phase, where she stalled for a while due to COVID and other technical challenges. But a solution was suggested that would solve a number of problems including simplified guest flow from the forward guest section to the aft expedition deck and science areas. As a result the vessel essentially cut in half and a new 12-metre section was welded in, taking her to her current LOA of 194.9 metres and instantly revitalising the project.

While the guest areas – including a top deck observation lounge with floor-to-deckhead outward-angled overhang viewing windows, a library, a games room with the latest simulators, a cavernous six-deck open guest atrium to starboard, and a glass-bottomed walkway out to the end of the bowsprit – are the epitome of the luxury superyacht charter experience, it is the science and conservation mission that not only sits at the core of the project but will also provide the most exceptional of interactive experiences for guests.

As Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean and formerly the CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Norway, explains, there are three key threats centred on the ocean that are prime focus areas for REV Ocean’s mission: ocean plastic, which she says is found in every ocean and in every section of the water column, from the Arctic to the bottom of the Mariana Trench; the state of the global fisheries, of which 90 percent are now considered pushed to their limits; and the ability of the ocean to absorb heat, with recent studies showing that the oceans are starting to lose their ability to store heat in their depths, which has consequences in terms of marine life and global warming.

“In REV Ocean, we believe that knowledge is the absolute key – if you don’t know what is there, and if you don’t know what’s happening, it’s hard to protect it and it’s hard to do the right measures,” Jensen explains. “But knowledge is not the solution in itself. You have to make the knowledge accessible to the people that should care and that are making decisions every single day that impact the oceans.

“You have to turn that knowledge into concrete solutions,” she continues, “and that is what REV Ocean is all about – going from knowledge, sharing that knowledge with the right people and then turning it into practical solutions.

“And there is a whole ocean out there waiting to be explored – despite its importance, we know fairly little about the ocean, and still less than 10 percent of the ocean has been explored.”

After a long build journey, hampered by COVID and by the challenges solved with the 12-metre extension, there’s a palpable buzz among the senior team as we enjoy sushi in the town of Ålesund. “It’s extremely exciting,” Jensen enthuses. “It feels like a huge relief to have come to this stage. The vessel is really nearing completion, and now it’s just the interior and the finishing touches remaining.”

That burst of progress also means that the REV Ocean team can scale up its operations, ready for launch and the first missions, and charters, in 2027. “We are recruiting the key members of our team, working with crewing companies, preparing the portal for receiving applications, working with the scientific institutions and reaching out to the key individuals who we will be bringing along on the journey,” Jensen confirms. “So now it’s all really coming to life, and it feels amazing!”

REV Ocean will be available for select expedition charter exclusively through Burgess, with Joro providing additional support to ensure each curated journey aligns with the REV Ocean vision to create extraordinary and impactful experiences.

revocean.org