research yachts

REV Ocean is a totally unique, state of the art research and expedition vessel. It is equipped with some of the most sophisticated facilities onboard for carrying out cutting edge ocean science.  

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194.9m LENGTH

5.65m DRAUGHT

38m AIR DRAUGHT

13 MW POWER

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The goal of Yachts For Science is to bring together yacht owners and crew with marine scientists, researchers and content creators and provide access to the oceans. This is achieved by utilising the thousands of yachts that are travelling the globe as platforms for research.

Yacht owners and crew - the oceans need you!

The world’s oceans make up the largest ecosystem on Earth. They cover almost three-quarters of the Earth’s surface and produce half of the oxygen we breathe. Oceans regulate climate and their chemistry is vital for planetary health.

Even so, it is estimated that less than 10% of marine life has been discovered and only a fraction of the ocean floor has been mapped. This means that there is no scientific baseline for monitoring the health of the oceans which are so critical for the future of humanity.

The fundamental reason for the lack of oceanic knowledge is the difficulties that marine scientists face in gaining access to the oceans to undertake research. Traditional research vessels are often large and expensive to run, unavailable or in a different location. This is where Yachts For Science can play a part.

The goal of Yachts For Science is to bring together yacht owners and crew with marine scientists, researchers and content creators and provide access to the oceans.

This is achieved by utilising the thousands of yachts that are travelling the globe as platforms for research. These partnerships will provide the vital information required for decision-makers to bring about the protection and recovery of our oceans.

If you own, manage, or are crew aboard a vessel that could provide berths for scientists get in touch now.

No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.

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Our vision is to create a deeply engaged global community of explorers, scientists, and storytellers dedicated to educating, inspiring, and protecting the oceans in order to drive positive change. Please contact us if you are interested in licensing the use of our audiovisual or photographic content relating to the oceans and marine life. OceanX is a nonprofit initiative of the Dalio Philanthropies (www.daliophilanthropies.org) bringing science to life through captivating storytelling.

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From Climate Change to Plastic Pollution: The World’s Largest Gigayacht Was Built to Help Save the Oceans

As the biggest research vessel, she'll work on fixing overfishing, climate change and plastic pollution., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

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At 600 feet in length, REV Ocean wears the crown of world’s largest yacht , edging out Azzam by 10 feet. Owner Kjell Inge Røkke, who made his fortune from fishing and offshore oil drilling, wanted his jewel to be more than just another placeholder in yachting’s tiara. He decided to build something special: a hybrid vessel combining a yacht interior with an ice-class hull and the laboratories of a polar-research vessel.

Unsurprisingly, REV Ocean is also the world’s largest research vessel. “She is bigger than a normal research ship, almost by double,” says Alex Rogers, Ph.D., a marine ecologist who left his teaching position at the University of Oxford to become the superyacht ’s science director. “We have the full range of science equipment as well as the world’s deepest diving submersible that descends to 7,500 feet. She has three wet labs for biology, microbiology and geology, two dry labs and a media lab, as well as equipment for extracting samples at depths of 20,000 feet.”

In research mode, the boat can accommodate 54 scientists plus 36 crew, many of whom are specialized technicians. As a charter, the yacht hosts 28 guests in 14 staterooms, along with 54 crew.

GUILLAUME PLISSON

REV Ocean has three swimming pools, multiple common areas, several dining rooms, observation platforms and, thanks to the research side, a 35-seat auditorium, classrooms and an onboard medical facility.

The research will focus on three main issues: overfishing, climate change and plastic pollution. The yacht also has a novel business model: Charters will offset research costs, so visiting scientists won’t pay a bean.

Røkke has reportedly invested around $350 million to build REV Ocean , with plans to lease her to the not-for-profit of the same name for $1 per year. He admits his former business activities have contributed to environmental problems. The initiative came from “the desire to use my resources for a good cause I believe in, and be part of the solution,” he says.

Currently being outfitted, the vessel will be delivered in 2022. After that comes a 250-day maiden voyage. “Our objective is to find practical answers for the oceans’ problems,” says Rogers. “Our charter guests can combine special experiences around the science elements they’re interested in. We’re eager for them to play a part in the solution.”

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Yachts for science.

Often one of the greatest challenges for marine scientists is access to the sea to undertake their research. Traditional research vessels are often unavailable, expensive to run, or in the wrong location, making it difficult for many research projects to take place.

Yachts for Science is a program by Nekton , Arksen , BOAT International , EYOS Expeditions , and the Ocean Family Foundation . The goal is to bring together private vessel owners and crew with marine scientists, researchers and content creators to provide access to the ocean.

Thousands of privately-owned vessels above 24 metres often have spare berths or downtime between private use or charter which could be used to support marine scientists as platforms for research. It is becoming more and more common for sailing races, yacht owners and charterers to combine their adventures with serious scientific learning and research leading to unforgettable experiences out at sea.

Yachts for Science is a platform for private vessel owners to connect with scientists of research projects which we review for their merit, through open access results, clear outcomes, and strong connections with local scientists and communities in the proposed area of study.

Interested? Find out more about the program here:

www.yachtsforscience.com

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Yachts for Science: Sailing superyacht helps with ground-breaking shark research in the Mediterranean

The 26.6-metre sailing yacht Blue Titan has become the latest vessel to become involved in scientific research through the innovative Yachts for Science initiative. The sailing yacht was used by Virginia Tech professor Francesco Ferretti, his team and film-makers, as part of the White Shark Chase 2023 (mainly funded by the Augmentum platform ), an international collaboration to find and protect the last remaining white sharks in the Mediterranean Sea.

“The Mediterranean White Sharks are among the least studied and the most endangered, they are critically endangered according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature,” explains Ferretti. “We estimate that the population has declined by 80 per cent over the past few decades. The White Shark is a top predator with a very important ecological value.”

To help protect the species, Ferretti is determined to track and tag sharks to understand more about their migration, eating and breeding patterns. Finding these creatures in the Mediterrean Sea is similar to finding a “needle in a haystack”, but Ferretti has highlighted the Sicilian Channel as a potential hotspot and needed support to spend time in the region.

When the initial vessel that was meant to assist the trip fell through, Blue Titan and her owner stepped in to help take Ferretti and his fellow scientists to Tunisia, Lampedusa and Malta.

For the owner of Blue Titan , Frank Peeters, it was a case of good timing. “I have been in the boating network for a long time, and one of my contacts [Yachtstory's ill Zwaans] put me in contact with Rosie O’Donell [project co-ordinator at Yachts for Science] for this project. We were about to leave from Spain to Sardinia in that period, and Tunisia is exactly the same direction,” he explains.

Ferretti and the team spent 17 days on board, using the yacht as a base and chase boat for operations. “The boat’s owner was very engaged with our project,” says Ferretti.  “They soon realised they are in an adventure, it is a chance to be at the forefront of science because we are basically writing the life history of the White Shark.

“For our type of work, this sailboat is suited as a support boat and floating hotel, not an operational vessel, but this support has been crucial to mitigate and respond to the issues we were encountering along the way.”

Captain Jeff Doolan of Blue Titan said despite “challenging” elements of the trip – including accommodating the scientists and filmmakers as well as large amounts of kit – it was “fun to do something different and helpful”. “I enjoyed meeting the scientists, and was interested in their work,” he added. “I also learned a lot from them. They all were top people and I have made some new friends.”

Unfortunately, due to government and bureaucratic issues, much of the work that Ferretti and his team were hoping to undertake was not possible. However, the group did succeed in satellite tagging a Mako shark for the first time in the region, undertaking eDNA water testing and deploying baited underwater video cameras. Ferretti is also confident that the trip has put in place a lot of groundwork for future expeditions.  “Our work in Tunisia is not finished. I still need to digest all the info and new intelligence acquired on this trip, but we need to replan our approach and work on multiple fronts, including engaging with high-level policy figures,” he added.

For Peeters the trip also proved to be a positive experience. “Working directly with the scientists and a documentary team was an adventure and something totally new for us, my wife was sad to leave at the end of our trip,” he said. “There were many highlights, but especially the commitment, passion and perseverance of the expedition team were amazing.”

The goal of Yachts For Science is to bring together yacht owners and crew with marine scientists, researchers and content creators and provide access to the oceans. It is an initiative of the Ocean Family Foundation, BOAT International, Nekton, EYOS and Arksen. Visit the website to find out more about the current projects in need of support.

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