The ambitious mega-yacht project REV Ocean has taken another step forward for its post-delivery phase: a ship manager has been found in V.Ships.
The company, part of the V.Group, one of the world’s largest ship management firms, has announced a partnership with REV Ocean, the initiative led by Norwegian industrialist Kjell Inge Røkke.
The agreement covers a tailor-made package of ship management services for the world’s largest and most advanced research and expedition vessel.
Recently, it was confirmed that the long-delayed REV Ocean project will continue at Damen Shipyards.
The REV Ocean is scheduled to sail from Vard Søviknes to Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen (Netherlands) on March 2, 2025, where final outfitting work will be completed before the yacht enters full operation in early 2027. V.Ships took over management of the vessel in December 2024, with one of its first tasks being to recruit an experienced crew for this maiden voyage.
The yacht was designed by renowned designer Espen Øino. The steel hull was initially built at Vard Shipyard in Tulcea, Romania, before being towed to Norway for further outfitting. Originally, REV Ocean was set to be delivered in 2020, but three years ago, it was found to be overbuilt and too heavy. After adjustments, construction resumed last year at Vard in Norway.
REV Ocean equipped with cutting-edge technology
Recently, Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen (DSV) and Rossilini’s Four-10 signed a contract for outfitting both the interior and exterior of the high-tech research and expedition ship.
The 194.4-metre-long and 22-metre-wide vessel was originally budgeted at €500 million. Built in compliance with the IMO Polar Code, REV Ocean is primarily a research vessel designed to play a key role in marine science. It will be equipped for missions covering the entire marine ecosystem, featuring scientific trawl nets, sonar systems, laboratories, auditoriums, classrooms, and even submarines.
The vessel is designed to run on diesel-electric engines, with an additional 3 MW lithium-ion battery pack to optimize efficiency and handle peak loads.
V.Ships: Management with global and local expertise
Dag Christoffersen, Managing Director of V.Ships Norway, stated that REV Ocean’s decision to build the world’s largest vessel of its kind, equipped with the most advanced technology and scientific instruments, requires a ship management partner with unmatched delivery capacity. He emphasized that along with V.Ships’ global reach and service offering, REV Ocean will benefit from the local expertise of its Norwegian branch, which has strong ties to the Kjell Inge Røkke corporate group and extensive knowledge of Norwegian maritime regulations.
Per Bjørnsen, CEO of V.Ships Leisure, added that they are pleased to welcome REV Ocean—both a research vessel and the world’s largest yacht—into their fleet at a time of growing demand for yacht management services.
REV Ocean CEO Nina Jensen highlighted V.Ships’ experience across multiple maritime sectors, ensuring that the vessel and crew will be well-prepared for complex operations in challenging environments. She also pointed out that their digital platform will help optimize operations through real-time data, supporting decision-making on every expedition.
