Billionaire's Megayacht Is Getting Cut in Half but He's Not Backing Out of the Project

Now under construction in Norway, REV Ocean will become the world's biggest megayacht and the world's biggest research platform once completed. That much was known for years when it was first announced. Confirmation came in 2019 when the hull left the shipyard in Romania, but by 2021, all work had ceased amid shipping shortages and a looming financial crisis.

The 2-year hiatus prompted serious speculation that REV Ocean might never see the light. It didn't help that, earlier this month, came the shocking news that a hull extension was planned to increase buoyancy.

In other words, the hull of the 183-meter (600.4-foot) megayacht would have to be cut in two to add a 12-meter (39.3-foot) extension amidships that would help with buoyancy. In even plainer words, the ship in the original design was too short and too narrow for the superstructure, which made it less likely to withstand the exact conditions it was designed for.

That's not something any billionaire wants to hear when it comes to progress on his very special commission.

But Kjell Inge Røkke, the richest man in Norway and a passionate environmentalist, is not any billionaire. REV Ocean is his baby, not in the sense that other superyachts are for their wealthy owners, but in the sense that he believes it to be the noblest, boldest, and potentially most helpful naval build for humanity.

So Røkke is not backing out of the project despite the fact that the proposed changes will translate into additional delays to an already belated project and additional costs. For reference, initial estimates of the REV Ocean final tally were of about $500 million, but there's no telling how much the hull extension will cost. It won't be cheap, that much is certain!

"[The] owner hasn't backed down [and that] is really a testament to his commitment to see this through," REV Ocean CEO Nina Jensen tells one trade publication in a statement. Jensen admits that the project is even more challenging than they appreciated, so much so that there isn't even a yard picked out for the final outfitting of the vessel.

A megayacht like no other

REV Ocean is significant beyond a clickable headline about a billionaire getting another "toy" and far more than for its achievements in terms of naval design. That's because it's conceived as a Research Exploration Vessel, first and foremost, as its name clearly states, moonlighting as a charter platform so that it can self-finance its research capabilities.

In simpler terms, REV Ocean will welcome paying guests onboard during all seasons so it can raise funds to host expeditions and researchers for the rest of the time. It will be a floating laboratory (eight of them, to be more precise) with features unprecedented on a research vessel until now.

The complete list of features is still being kept a secret as of now, but from previous interviews, we gather the gigantic vessel will carry a system for collecting and recycling plastic, advanced oceanography equipment to study everything from currents to fish, and a 3D printing facility and an onboard metal shop exclusively for the use of the research team. The hull expansion allows for the addition of a dedicated submarine hangar and that eighth science laboratory.

REV Ocean will also implement green tech to reduce its carbon footprint, though the hull expansion will translate to a 32% increase in fuel consumption, as per the same trade publication. On the upside, the higher fuel consumption will also mean a longer range.

Student training facilities, conference rooms, a fully-equipped hospital, sonar systems, two helipads and packed garages, and 114-day autonomy at sea are also among the most impressive capabilities of the vessels shared with the press.

Capacity is also impressive, as you'd expect with a vessel this size. As a research vessel, it will accommodate 60 researchers and 30 crew; as an expedition vessel, 30 crew, 24 scientists, and 36 passengers; and as a megayacht, it will carry 28 passengers and 54 crew.

As a megayacht, REV Ocean will feature the finest of fine things in life: three pools, lavish finishes, bars and dining rooms, you name it. Given its record-breaking capabilities and the kind of luxury teased so far, it's bound to become a celebrity hotspot as soon as it sets off on its maiden journey.

Jensen says that the several media rooms onboard will be used to host podcasts and live interviews with guests, so we're guessing they already have people lined up.

REV Ocean was initially scheduled for delivery in 2020, with construction halting one year after that missed deadline. Under the revised timeline, technical launch is expected for early 2025, with an estimated Q4 2026 date set for the maiden journey.