Fincantieri Group subsidiary Vard has secured a contract with US-based research group Inkfish to design and build a deep-sea research vessel valued at nearly €700 million ($815 million).
This agreement represents the largest single-vessel contract ever awarded to the shipbuilder, as well as the largest order of its kind for any Norwegian shipyard.
The vessel, codenamed RV11000, will measure 162 metres in length with a beam of 28 metres. The shipbuilder is scheduled to deliver the vessel during the first quarter of 2030.
This vessel builds on the engineering foundations of the RV6000, which Vard contracted in 2025 and is currently constructing for the same customer.
Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway, developed the platform in collaboration with Inkfish to enable seafloor mapping, coring, and submarine operations at depths of up to 11,000 metres. The vessel will support a wide range of deep-ocean missions, including the deployment of submersibles and autonomous vehicles.
To facilitate scientific operations, the vessel will feature a battery installation enabling up to 12 hours of silent operation alongside a propulsion system combining DC technology with battery hybrid solutions.
Advanced stabilisers are intended to minimise motion, while the hull is optimised to ensure high-performance seafloor mapping and station-keeping, Fincantieri noted.
The vessel will also be certified in accordance with the latest International Association of Classification Societies cybersecurity requirements.
The ship will accommodate up to 130 crew members and researchers in spaces designed to support scientific work, which includes laboratories and workshops.
Vard plans to manage the entire project from design to commissioning, constructing the hull at Vard Shipyards Romania in Tulcea before completing outfitting and delivery at one of its Norwegian shipyards.
