The REV Ocean, a 600-foot research and expedition vessel, will be generously available to scientists for a third of the year. This commitment to scientific research is being partially funded by the yacht’s use for expeditions and private charters during the remaining months. The superyacht is currently undergoing its final preparations in Brattvaag, Norway, and is anticipated to embark on its maiden voyage later this year.
The vessel boasts eight laboratories, each equipped with scientific instruments valued at over £20 million. Notably, it includes a three-person submarine capable of descending to depths of one and a half miles and a robot designed to survey and collect samples from ocean depths of nearly four miles.
Kjell Inge Rokke, who initially began his career as a deckhand in the fishing industry, has accumulated substantial wealth. His journey from humble beginnings to amassing a £1.4 billion fortune involved ventures into fishing, offshore drilling, and oil extraction and trade. His company, Aker Energy, oversees various subsidiaries focused on the oil and gas sector.
Despite his involvement in the oil industry, Rokke recognizes the need for scientific investigation into ocean conservation. This commitment is evidenced by his decision to invite marine experts to delve into critical issues. One of his prominent hires is Alex Rogers, a leading marine conservation scientist from Oxford University, who will oversee the scientific direction of the project.
The REV Ocean’s inaugural 250-day voyage from the Arctic to the Antarctic, with a planned stop in London, will mark a significant moment in oceanic research. The journey will involve studying the impact of diminishing sea ice on bowhead whales, assessing plastic pollution across various ocean depths, investigating illegal fishing in the Pacific, and analyzing ocean acidification.
Rokke’s dedication to oceanic research is further demonstrated by his recruitment of Nina Jensen, former head of the World Wide Fund for Nature in Norway, as the vessel’s chief executive. While Jensen acknowledges the dilemmas posed by Rokke’s oil and gas ventures, she has secured his commitment to refrain from extracting oil off the environmentally sensitive Lofoten archipelago in the Arctic.
Kjell Inge Rokke’s initiative stands as a remarkable example of leveraging personal wealth to drive meaningful change. His superyacht, the REV Ocean, symbolizes a fusion of opulence and scientific exploration, with a vision to protect and preserve the Earth’s oceans for generations to come.
