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29 May 2026 VARD is pleased to announce that we have signed a contract with the global research organization Inkfish for the design and construction of a groundbreaking research vessel of VARD 9 42 design. The value of the contract is nearly 700 million euros. This is the largest order ever secured by VARD for one single vessel as well as the largest order of its kind for any Norwegian shipyard. The new research vessel, project-named RV11000 (length of 162 m and a beam of 28 m), represents a significant advancement in capability, building on the engineering and design foundations established by Inkfish's first purpose-built research vessel, project-named RV6000 (length of 100 m and a beam of 20,7 m), contracted with Vard in 2025. Both vessels will join Inkfish's growing fleet, alongside RV Hydra and RV Dagon, to support marine research globally and contribute data to open-sourced repositories. 
Image by VARD. Video by VARD. A Technological Leap into the Future Developed by Vard Design in Alesund, Norway, in collaboration with Inkfish and their technical partner YTMC and with the support of the Fincantieri Group - one of the world's largest builders of highly complex vessels and a leader in advanced underwater systems and innovation as well as in the defense sector - RV11000 is a tailor-made research vessel designed for seafloor mapping, corer operations, submarine handling and support, and ROV operations at depths of up to 11,000 meters. VARD - press release 
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