First on board: YachtCharterFleet tours 182m research and expedition yacht REV Ocean at VARD shipyard, Norway

By Katia Damborsky 23 October 2019

Eager for a progress update on the 182.9m/ 600ft in-construction superyacht REV Ocean, the YachtCharterFleet team traveled to Brattvag, Norway, for an exclusive tour of the research and expedition vessel which will one day become the world’s largest yacht.

Breaking new ground in superyacht design and oceanographic research, REV Ocean is a new class of explorer vessel.

Due for delivery in 2021, she will leave the yard equipped with cutting-edge research facilities never before seen on a superyacht, including six laboratories and the capacity to harvest live species from 3,000 metres below the surface of the sea.

She will be open for private yacht charters, and will operate under a never-before-seen charter arrangement whereby individuals can charter her alongside teams of researchers.

Build schedule & progress

Although REV Ocean has a long way to go before she sees delivery and is crowned with the ‘World’s Largest Yacht’ title, it is impressive to see the speed of her construction for a vessel of this size and complexity.

As it stands, she is around 50% complete. The steel hull and superstructure of the yacht were built at VARD’s specialist facilities in Tulcea, Romania using new construction techniques used in commercial shipbuilding.

After being towed to Norway she arrived VARD's Brattvag facility on October 2. She will stay here for one year for the installation of her scientific equipment.

Once the technical work is completed she will head to Lloyd Werft in Germany under her own propulsion for her exterior fairing and superyacht finish paint job, as well as deck laying and the installation of her high-quality superyacht interiors.

Full tour of REV Ocean

Guiding us on the tour is Nils Baadnes, the captain of REV Ocean, Aage Andreas Linningsvoll, Technical Project Manager, and Lawrence Hislop, Head of Marketing at REV Ocean.

Before our tour begins we’re given an exclusive first hand look of a detailed scale model of the completed project. From this we can see a number of features never seen before in her 3D renderings.

The first thing that hits you is that Espen Oeino, the multi-award-winning exterior designer, has crafted a sleek and streamlined profile that ensures her profile is elegant and her colossal size is well-proportioned.

Workers walk up the decks of REV Ocean luxury yacht

REV Ocean yacht observation deck in skeleton form

While she is still in her bare bones, REV Ocean is still an impressive sight to behold. Spanning 11 decks in total (with 8 above the waterline) and stretching out across a vast 182.9m, the scale of this superyacht is breathtaking.

Stepping outside, the sheer scale of the yacht is put into perspective. Docked outside the shipyard, she towers over the buildings and makes the red and blue homes of Brattvag look like dolls’ houses.

Woman stands in front of REV Ocean superyacht at VARD Shipyard, Norway

YachtCharterFleet had the privilege of a full tour around REV Ocean, and were able to take a closer look at the in-build scientific equipment and research facilities on board.

While in Brattvag, we also had the chance to get some insight from the REV Ocean team about the yacht's unique mission and the ethos of the owner, Kjell Inke Rokke.

Full review coming soon

YachtCharterFleet will be publishing a complete review of our tour, as well as exclusive insights about her unique charter arrangement and her owner's mission to save the seas.

Be sure to keep checking our site for the exclusive tour of REV Ocean.