Inside Project RV11000: The Record €700 Million Vessel Built to Explore the Deepest Trenches

Designed for the Abyss

The RV11000’s headline capability is its ability to operate at depths of up to 11,000 meters, meaning it can reach the deepest known points in the ocean, including the Mariana Trench . To achieve this, the vessel is built on Vard’s advanced 9 42 design platform, developed by Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway, in collaboration with Inkfish and technical partner YTMC .

Physically, the RV11000 will be an imposing presence on the water. It measures 162 meters in length with a 28-meter beam, providing ample deck space and stability for complex deep-sea operations. The ship is designed to support a wide range of missions, including seafloor mapping, coring, and the deployment of manned and unmanned submersibles .

A Growing Fleet

This record-breaking order did not come out of nowhere. It builds on an existing, and still significant, partnership between Vard and Inkfish. In July 2025, the two parties signed a contract exceeding €200 million for Project RV6000, a 100-meter research vessel of the VARD 9 33 design .

The RV6000, scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2028, is designed for seafloor mapping, submersible support, and ROV operations at depths down to 6,000 meters . It is slated to join Inkfish’s existing fleet, which includes the research vessels Hydra and Dagon, to support marine research globally . The RV11000 is a clear step up from its predecessor, extending the fleet’s reach from the mid-ocean to its deepest extremes.

Construction and Strategic Significance

The construction plan for the RV11000 mirrors Vard's established approach for complex vessels. The hull will be built at one of Vard’s shipyards in Romania, with final outfitting, commissioning, and delivery taking place in Norway . This integrated value chain, from design to delivery, is a core part of Vard’s specialized shipbuilding strategy.

For parent company Fincantieri, the deal underscores a deliberate pivot toward high-value, highly specialized vessel construction. Both the RV6000 and RV11000 orders highlight Vard’s positioning not as a builder of standard commercial ships, but as a premier manufacturer of custom-built, technologically advanced platforms for science and industry .

The contract firmly establishes Inkfish as a major private backer of deep-sea science, investing heavily in bespoke assets that rival or exceed the capabilities of state-funded research fleets.