Inkfish is a global philanthropic organization that integrates vessels, engineering, medical innovation, and operational expertise to develop new technologies and further marine research initiatives.
A Vessel for the Future
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. Working closely with host countries, data collected contributes to open-sourced repositories. The tailor-made research vessel, named RV6000 for Inkfish, is specially designed for seafloor mapping with a world-leading gondola-mounted sensor suite, submersive support, and ROV operations with an operational capacity to 6,000 m depth.
The design is the result of an ongoing collaborative development effort initiated in early 2024 by Inkfish and their UK-based technical representatives, YTMC. It incorporates both current and anticipated requirements from Inkfish’s pioneering teams in science, subsea, and aviation who will operate aboard the vessel.
The technical arrangements include hybrid power generation and propulsion, enabling the vessel to reach a speed of 15 knots. The hull is developed for advanced seafloor mapping performance as well as superior seakeeping abilities, utilizing advanced anti-roll technologies for reduced motions and accelerations and excellent station keeping performances whilst in Dynamic Positioning Mode.
VARD 9 33 – RV6000 Vessel
RV6000 has an ROV with operational capacity to reach 6,000 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.
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 vessel also features state-of-the-art laboratories, offices, and workshops, with high-quality accommodation and recreational facilities designed for enhanced comfort. These amenities support up to 70 crew members and scientists and meet the stringent DNV COMF (Comfort Class) notation, with exceptionally low levels of noise and vibration.
“Our research vessels are at the heart of what we do—they’re how we get science done. We’re excited to be working with VARD on the next step in that journey: a world-class vessel that will dramatically increase our capacity and broaden the support we can offer the global research community. This has been a unique opportunity to involve the researchers to collaborate with the ship builder and the operators from the first stage of the design process,” shared Stu Buckle, Inkfish.
