Some people turn lemons into lemonade or, in the case of pop superstar Beyonce, into one of the most successful albums of modern times. Where the REV Ocean Foundation is concerned, they like to think of it as turning challenges into solutions.
REV Ocean didn't set out specifically to break records, but it will do just that as soon as it's launched, as the world's biggest megayacht, as well as the world's largest research platform. Construction on the vessel has resumed after a 2-year hiatus and lots of rumors about its possible fate.
REV Ocean is one of the boldest and noblest projects of recent years and one that has been plagued with issues since day one – both because of its size and mission. It's a gigantic vessel that will serve as the largest floating research platform in the world and will double as a super fancy superyacht the rest of the time, thus generating funds to keep doing research and sustainable work in a never-ending self-sustaining cycle.
REV Ocean won't be just a research lab and a charter platform, and both of them simultaneously. The plan is to take both these aspects and maximize them in a way that's never been done before. As such, it will feature capabilities of collecting and recycling plastic, of collecting data from the ocean and the air, and the equipment and the personnel able to analyze it and devise ways in which we can stop whatever we're doing that’s killing our planet.
As a luxury vessel, it will feature pools and observatories, bars and lounges, exploration gear and the fanciest accommodation possible. REV Ocean will be unlike any other vessel out there, both in functionality and size.
Photo: REV Ocean
For a couple of years, construction on it came to a halt, which prompted speculation that it might never be completed after all. We're talking about a 183-meter (600.4-foot) vessel, so whatever work had already been done on it was in the millions.
Reports say the final price tag upon completion will be in the vicinity of $500 million – a most impressive amount, especially if you consider it comes out of a single person's pocket, Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke.
The reason for the hiatus in the build was partly the ongoing financial crisis and shipping shortages, as well as problems with the vessel itself, specifically regarding its weight. As a result, designers have added 12 more meters (39 feet) to the hull and streamlined the superstructure.
The announcement that construction has resumed brings new renders, showing more streamlined upper decks and the removal of a glass observation space.
A new delivery timeline has also been revealed, so REV Ocean now has a technical launch date set for February 2025. Operations are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, so the project is some five years behind the original schedule. Still, better late than never.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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