Kystdesign signs ROV contract with NIOZ
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Kystdesign signs ROV contract with NIOZ

Kystdesign, the Norwegian manufacturer of custom ROVs and components, has signed a contract with the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) for the construction of the advanced remotely operated vehicle (ROV) the Supporter 6000. The agreement was finalized this week by NIOZ director Han Dolman and Kystdesign director Tore Nedland. Scheduled for delivery in June 2026, the Supporter 6000 will serve the entire Dutch marine research community.

Designed for ultra-deepwater operations, the Supporter 6000 can reach depths of up to 6,000 metres – combined with exceptional flexibility and advanced capabilities. It features six high-resolution cameras and 41 electrical connectors for integrating external equipment such as tooling, survey sensors and additional cameras. The system also includes 24 proportionally controlled hydraulic functions. Additionally, the ROV control system supports a range of automated functions, including AutoPOS and AutoTRACK, and enables over-the-horizon control from a remote operations centre (ROC) onshore.

“We currently don’t have anything like it available for the Dutch scientific community,” explained Gert-Jan Reichart, head of the NIOZ Ocean Systems department. “The robot is equipped to take over the work of humans at great water depths. With its six high-resolution cameras and strong gripping arms, it forms our eyes and arms underwater. One of these arms can rotate along seven different axes: that’s more than a human arm can move.”

Reichart said that this will bring the Netherlands from an age of observation to an age of ‘hands-on’ experimentation in the deep ocean: “We’ll be able to conduct experiments that marine researchers have had to rely on foreign expeditions for until now: such as working with stable isotope tracers, where you cover deep-sea corals and sponges with a box, then add for example isotopic labelled sugar or carbon dioxide. That allows us to determine who eats who in the deep ocean, which is important for understanding the ecology of the deep ocean.”

New ROV markets

Tore Nedland, managing director at Kystdesign, opened his speech at the contract signing ceremony by saying ‘Thank you’ three times: “Thank you for being so thorough and persistent in your search for the right tool for your mission. Thank you for awarding this contract: Kystdesign is proud and excited to once again deliver a new ultra-deepwater ROV with lots of specialized equipment – it’s an honour! Thank you for inviting us to this ceremony, celebrating an important milestone in your mission to explore the great oceans of our common globe. This partnership not only expands our brand into new markets but also underscores our commitment to providing innovative solutions for underwater research.”

The ROV will be assigned a role aboard the RV Anna Weber-van Bosse, the future flagship of the Dutch research fleet. It has been financed by a grant from the Large-scale Scientific Infrastructure fund.

The project team at the contract signing ceremony for the construction of the underwater robot, held at NIOZ. (Image courtesy: NIOZ)
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