Norway’s designer and shipbuilder of specialized vessels Vard, a subsidiary of the Italian Fincantieri Group, has signed a new contract with the US based research organization Inkfish for the design and construction of a modern research vessel, with the value of the contract exceeding 200 million euros.

The custom-built research vessel, project name RV6000, is specially designed for scientific exploration.

It will join Inkfish’s growing fleet, alongside RV Hydra and RV Dagon, to support marine research globally.

The new research vessel is specifically designed for seafloor mapping, submersible support and ROV operations.

It will feature a length of 100 meters and a beam of 20.7 meters, with a maximum speed of 15 knots and an operational autonomy of up to 30 days.

The RV6000 has an ROV with operational capacity to reach 6000 m depth and is able to support two manned submersibles.

It is equipped with a stern-mounted A-Frame system and a large hangar for maintenance and storage. On the starboard side, an offshore crane equipped with AHC is configured for operations down to 2,500 meters.

According to Vard, the vessel is fitted with a hydroacoustic survey system capable of high-resolution seafloor mapping at 0.5 x 1 degrees resolution and water column analysis across all depths.

The technical arrangements include hybrid power generation and propulsion. The vessel also features laboratories, offices and workshops.

VARD will manage the entire construction process of the vessel, from design and hull construction to outfitting, integration, and commissioning.

The hull will be built at one of VARD’s shipyards in Romania, while final outfitting, commissioning, and delivery will take place at one of the Group’s shipyards in Norway with scheduled delivery for the second quarter of 2028.