Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has signed a contract with research organization Inkfish for the design and construction of a deep-sea research vessel based on the VARD 9 42 design, in a deal valued
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has signed a contract with research organization Inkfish for the design and construction of a deep-sea research vessel based on the VARD 9 42 design, in a deal valued at nearly $810 million (€700 million).
The company said the contract is the largest order ever secured by Vard for a single vessel and the largest order of its kind for a Norwegian shipyard.
The vessel, known as RV11000 during the project phase, will be 162 meters long with a beam of 28 meters. It follows Inkfish's first purpose-built research vessel, RV6000, which was contracted with Vard in 2025.
According to Vard, RV11000 has been designed for seafloor mapping, corer operations, submarine handling and support, and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations at depths of up to 11,000 meters.
The vessel will feature a stern-mounted A-frame system for submarine launch and recovery, hangars for submarines and ROVs, a 12,000-metre umbilical winch system, a 40-metre corer system, and a fiber-rope lifting system with a capacity of 15,000 meters.
RV11000 of Vard 9 42 design for Inkfish (Credit: Vard)
Other equipment includes a CTD system for measuring salinity, temperature and pressure, an offshore crane capable of operating at depths of up to
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