The Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke has dedicated part of his fortune to the construction of the world’s largest ship retrofitted for the task of cleaning the seas. The vessel will collect about five tons of plastic a day and then the plastic will be recycled. Working under the non-profit REV Ocean (founded by Røkke, together with marine biologist Nina Jensen, former CEO of WWF Norway) a team of researchers will conduct the expeditions with a crew. But collecting plastic pollution is not all this vessel can do!
In September 2019, The REV Ocean vessel arrived at the Vard Brattvaag shipyard to transformed from a floating steel hull into a state-of-the-art research vessel. The day the hull arrived Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean, said:
Today is one of the most exciting moments in the development of our research vessel. We now watch with great anticipation as she will develop into a full-fledged and operational vessel with state-of-the-art scientific equipment to be installed by the talented team at Vard Brattvaag. This is a major milestone towards achieving our mission of achieving one healthy ocean.
Not only is the reason for the project exciting, but the magnitude of the endeavor is also tantalizing. Erik Haakonsholm, the new General Manager of VARD offshore and specialized vessels and head of Vard Design says:
At VARD we have long experience in building sophisticated and exciting vessels, but the size, complexity, and purpose of this vessel add extra enthusiasm for all parties involved. We expect high activity at our yard in Brattvåg as our employees eagerly take on the outfitting phase. This project also generates a positive spinoff effect in Norway outside VARD.
The wonderful thing about the REV is that its ultimate purpose is to help our planet. It will be equipped for conducting missions that cover the entire global marine ecosystem. Scientists and innovators will use the vessel for solution-oriented research that explores issues such as the impact CO2 emissions have on the ocean, plastic pollution, and unsustainable fishing. It will be an inclusive global vessel for testing and proliferating ocean solutions.
Oystein Mikelborg, REV Ocean Operations Director, added:
The arrival in Brattvåg is a major milestone and a new chapter for REV Ocean. In the next few months, VARD Brattvaag will turn this into one of the world’s most advanced research vessels.
The vessel will have the capacity to hold 55 scientists and 35 crew within its 182.9 meters long body. The list of on-board equipment includes scientific trawls, sonar systems, laboratories, classrooms, an auditorium, a moonpool, a Triton submarine with 2300-meter depth capacity, an ROV (remotely operated vehicle) with 6000-meter depth capacity and advanced communication equipment.
Its plastic hauling capabilities were specifically designed by the naval architect Espen Oeino. Several dozen sensors and other state-of-the-art equipment work in unison to collect the material. The ship is designed to have very low emissions. All the research will be focusing on the fields of environment, fisheries, biodiversity, and marine life.
REV Ocean said in a press release that it will “strive to fill critical knowledge gaps, develop innovative solutions, and bridge science, business and policy sectors to achieve positive change. Taking on the role of ocean REVolutionaries the goal is to create positive, measurable impact; provide a pathway for others to follow and motivate the next generation of ocean leaders.”
Røkke, who owns almost 67% of the Aker ASA group’s marine fleet and offshore oil exploration, originally began his career as a fisherman. This massive project is his way of returning what he has received from the sea, back to the sea. The ship is expected to launch in 2021 with an international team aimed at gathering more knowledge, creating more awareness, developing new sustainable solutions and collecting plastic waste.
