Details about Grand 181-metre project, designed to save the world’s oceans
For some owners of yachts getting ready for the boat — this is the end, not the beginning of the story. They participate in the creation of the project and enjoyed the process: develop an outline with your designer, browse the fabric samples, agree on other matters with the shipyard, and then watch as the steel skeleton gradually becomes the embodiment of their dreams. Adventure is the project itself. So, having on his new “toy” in the Mediterranean, they sell it and start all over again.
Why not create an exciting and useful project, lasting and after construction? The growing popularity of expedition yachts shows that yahtovladeltsy have already begun to do so.
Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge the Recke (Kjell Inge Røkke) went much further, having started the ambitious project Rev.
After completion of construction in 2020 181,6-metre Explorer will be the largest yacht in the world, and the largest vessel available for private Charter.
However, the gigantic dimensions is not the only thing that makes this project unique research yacht is designed to fulfill a Grand mission to save the world’s oceans under the aegis of the world wildlife Fund (WWF) Norway.
It all started with the fact that Recke, being the owner of the shipping and fishing business, pay attention to how much the world’s oceans are suffering from pollution and poaching. The Norwegian magnate has joined “the giving pledge” (Giving Pledge) is a philanthropic campaign started by bill gates, his wife Melinda and Warren Buffett. Its main objective is “to coerce the richest people and their families to donate to the most urgent problems of society most of their state in life or after death.”
But if gates in the framework of this movement created a project to eradicate malaria worldwide, the Recke ‘s main attention directed at the health of the oceans. To accomplish his mission, he set three goals: to create an environmental center World Ocean Headquarters in Fornebu (Norway), to create a database of oceanic data open source and to build the world’s largest expedition research vessel.
The project, which received a simple name REV (Research Expedition Vessel, literally — expedition research vessel), is one of a kind. He was born in early 2016 and initially did not exceed 140 meters in length. In the end, however, its size has grown to 182,9 meters to on Board could accommodate the impressive amount of research equipment, which boat designer Espen Oyno (Espen Oeino) called “exhibition of the European underwater and shipbuilding technologies”.
In fact, says CEO REV Ocean Nina Jensen (Nina Jensen), it will be “floating think tank”, which will bring together scientists, experts in the field of technology, innovators, and even mathematicians. They will need not only to identify and discuss environmental problems of the seas, but to solve them. possible — immediately.
While REV will have the main features of the yacht, including luxurious design of the guest rooms. This will allow you to take on Board passengers wishing to join the expeditions, and the proceeds from the Charter money to use on the contents of the vessel. So hybrid REV can be called not only due to the diesel-electric engines.
“Recke was especially inspired by the program Ulysses Graham HART, seeing that there is another way to create such a vessel, in addition to standard solutions,” says George Gill (Gill George), the owner’s representative and project Director REV, Recalling the new Zealand billionaire, commissioned two research yacht — the 107 and 116-metre Ulysses — commercial Norwegian shipbuilder Kleven, and not at superyacht shipyards.
The experience of creating heavy-duty vessels and lower price make commercial shipyards increasingly popular among customers expedition yacht (by the way, the German Lürssen giant foresaw this turn and last year bought a stake in Kleven). Recke has opted for Norwegian shipyard Vard. It attracted the presence of the shipbuilder’s own units of hydrodynamics, naval architecture and engineering expertise.
He then gathered the team of your dreams: CEO of WWF-Norway Nina Jensen held a post of the head of mission; chief engineer of a superyacht Alfa Nero George Gill was assigned to the control Assembly REV; Espen Oyno, having in portfolio projects of the expeditionary yachts (e.g., 72-foot Cloudbreak), was contracted to design the exterior; the interiors have connected johnny Horsfield (Horsfield Johnny) and his Studio H2 Yacht Design, who worked on the interiors of the first 107 metre Ulysses (now Andromeda).
The design took about a year. During this time, scholars have made suggestions about how to make the boat the most useful to them, and the team appropriately adapted the project. And this is what came of it.
First, the REV can go almost anywhere you need. he will receive an impressive range of 21 to 120 nautical miles at 11 knots and a huge warehouse and a septic tank, through which 90 people will be able to continuously be on Board to 114 days.
The vessel can accommodate extra food in containers on the deck, which will increase the autonomy of another 20 days. There are three types of accommodation depending on flight type. It can be a ratio of 28 guests and 54 crew members, 60 scientists and 30 crew members or passengers 28, 24 scientists and 30 crew members.
“My sense is that initially it was more like a yacht, but over time it increasingly became similar to a research vessel, — shared his impressions Oyno, noting that the space reserved for large, eventually became the research laboratory. It is obvious that each of the researchers their needs, so the key to this project is flexibility. They often come with their equipment, so we have a huge deck where you can store up to twelve 20-foot containers and a large crane with a range of 25 meters, which is able to move cargo weighing up to 15 tons.”
This modular approach to large availability of space will allow the experts to bring their equipment to deploy on Board the laboratory, cutting room and offices, to build hangars for research, development, and implementation of welding and 3D printing. Also on the boat, conditions will be created for testing in real time — it is an important part and a striking feature of the project.
Speaking about the problems, the solution of which will work REV, including ocean acidification and overfishing, ThJensen said: “of Course, great and helpful to receive data, store them in the archive, so people can find them and write the reports, but by and large it does not change anything. The boss of the engineering mind, so we told him: we research the ship, but let’s go further, let’s invite engineers, programmers, robot enthusiasts, provide them everything they need to collect data, and then let them work — they can actually conduct research and development work and to create tangible products. Yes, we need more knowledge, but most importantly — to move from theory to action.
The main priority for us will be a problem with the plastic and, in particular, microplastics is plastics, which are split into smaller pieces. Waste on surface water account for only one percent of the total pollution. Imagine if we could invent some mechanism which would allow the courts around the world to collect microplastics in the process of their functioning. Whether it be filter, pump or a good vacuum device which could suck only plastic, but not marine life. It would be just phenomenal”.
REV will collect plastic from the water surface in the course of their work, and then burned in a special incinerator, which is able to recycle up to five tons of plastic a day.
Extremes of temperature will destroy the harmful exhaust gases and create a thermal power which will be used on Board. This is evidence of the fact that the REV will be truly “green” boat, not just the ship, crammed with scientific equipment.
The yacht will be equipped with modern engines that meet environmental standards Tier III. They will complement a large lithium battery of three megawatts, which will help to reduce the load on the generator and will allow you to save up to 20-30% fuel.
“This diesel-electric yacht, but with a rather modest power, says Oyno. — We studied alternative fuels, but such tasks will be put in front of the ship, problems may arise as LNG or hydrogen is not always available, especially in remote areas. Therefore, we chose diesel fuel, but the boat relatively modest cruising speed of 17 knots, and respectively the smallest carbon footprint.”
For purification of exhaust gases will be used diesel particulate filters. Also the boat will be equipped with a patented system SeaQ Green Pilot from Vard, which, according to Gill, “measures the level of sulfur and nitrogen in the exhaust gases and can help the crew to find the optimum cruising speed for minimal emissions.” Furthermore, heat from the engines will be used when heating water for domestic use on Board.
But the developers have focused not only on the filling of the vessel. The team is also working with manufacturers of paint products in order to find paint and anti-fouling means for the housing, does not emit harmful substances. And, more importantly, housing REV designed according to DNV-GL SILENT-R to prevent underwater noise pollution.
“Turbulence along the hull and the propeller blades creates a potential risk for the marine ecosystem, which is unacceptable for us, — says the Manager of the Department of architecture Vard Design Severin Akervik, Ullstein (Severin Akervik Ulstein). The solution to this problem required us to expand the boundaries. The casing has two large thruster, a wing area of 30 square meters, installed one meter below the keel plate, two pairs of retractable stabilizers active for 14 square meters, two three-metre retractable keel and the moon pool 40 sq. m (opening on the bottom). In addition to this, we had to place research equipment around the body, and any bubbles generated by the movement of boats that are able to create interference. At the same time we had to achieve world-class performance in fuel economy and body design so that it meets the standards of DNV-GL Ice PC6. If you put these conditions before any other designer, probably, the answer would be “it’s impossible”. Wonder what would be the result when there is no other option but to succeed.”
This challenge partly helped to solve a specially designed nasal bulb, removing during pitching accumulating under the water air. This effect is strengthened by the most uniform distribution of load on the propeller blades, which avoids peak loads, which often cause pressure fluctuation and noise. Major shipbuilders always somehow try to resolve this issue, but Oyno stepped much further, using technology from the world of submarines.
So, who of scientists will be lucky enough to work on REV?
“We are working with the Norwegian research Council and many of the leading scientists of Norway on the establishment of an independent scientific Committee, explains ThJensen. We will accept applications from institutions and private individuals from all over the world, and on the basis of certain criteria, the Committee will choose a mission, in which will participate the ship. For us it is very important that all scientific research to be conducted on Board, was of the highest quality and independent.”
Recke plans to cover all costs REV — scientists do not pay a dime. However, additional financial support for the project the ship is designed to profit at the expense of passenger accommodation in luxury apartments.
Visitors will be able to join scientific expeditions, for example, to study the deep coral reefs in the world, thereby promoting their protection and restoration.
Space for guests is in front of the superstructure and includes cabins, salons, gym, dining room and more. In addition, when you visit the harsh Northern latitudes one of the aft decks can be closed off to create a giant winter garden.
The richness of such unusual objects on Board demanded that designers detailed calculation of longitudinal strength.
“In the area of the midship section of the ship is a research hangar size 24×22×7 meters, with both sides equipped with side doors full length of the room and height of six meters, says Akervik, Ullstein. — Directly in front of him on the ship is the atrium area of 80 sq. m, passing through seven decks — main vertical near the technical area. Tens of thousands of hours were spent on structural analysis in order to perform this work.”
When creating interiors too, not everything was easy. Since the design must meet the safety standards of a passenger vessel SOLAS, johnny Horsfield was limited in the choice of materials for interior finishing.
Instead, as he put it, “the study regulations”, the designer used materials, unusual for yacht interiors. For example, the design used a minimum of wood because SOLAS believes her fire.
“We use a lot of black and hot rolled metal for elements such as door frames. Some walls also have panels of concrete,” says Horsfield.
The result is a contemporary design in earthy tones, combining Scandinavian, industrial and funk styles. His gem is a spectacular atrium with a height of six flights of stairs, which, according to the author, is itself a work of art.
Horsfield isn’t the only designer who participated in the project: a contribution also made by the Norwegian artist Magne Magne (Magne Furuholmen), a former member of the pop group A-ha, picked up for the interior decoration of REV a large collection of art objects.
Among the research equipment on Board a giant Explorer will be equipped with modern echo sounders and sonars that will allow you to recognize the fish, to map the seabed and currents and even to determine the presence of sediments under the seabed without sampling. They also provide Autonomous underwater vehicles on the boat.
Retractable keels REV will be equipped with four high-sensitivity hydrophones to listen to marine mammals.
“They are located outside of the housing and the outside of the boundary layer — the layer of water moving with the boat. Any sonar in the boundary layer takes a bit of distorted data due to the mobility of water, and our devices will work in calm water with greater accuracy,” explains Espen Oyno.
In addition, the boat will be used advanced system of trawling which will allow to obtain samples of flora from depths up to 3000 meters.
“Usually when you produce a sampling of the biomass or fish, says George Gill, you just drag the network, and in fact fishing. We took the technology developed by Norwegian companies, and at the end of the network installed pipe. Due to the large vacuum system available the fish will come to the vessel alive, she can be counted and released back virtually unharmed”.
The main hangar will be equipped with REV moon pool with a size of 7.7 to 5 meters, which will provide scientists with access to water from the bottom of the vessel. The LARS system will allow you to lower and raise underwater vehicles through the open manhole. Also the REV team is negotiating with several manufacturers of submarines to create the machines that will be able to fully meet the needs of the ambitious project.
“They will be able to descend deeper and be more effective both from the point of view of science, and on efficient data transmission,” says Nina Jensen.
According to the materials of Boat International.
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