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Ship Of Dreams

It's 600-feet and cost more than $3 billion, but the world's largest private yacht was built with a science-first mission.

The 600-foot REV Ocean

Among billionaires, there's an ongoing competition for who has the biggest boat. Since you won't be seeing it at your marina or yacht club anytime soon, take a look at the world's largest superyacht — the 600-foot REV Ocean.

Built for a Norwegian billionaire, the $3.3 billion vessel will be available to charter to help support scientific ocean research expeditions.

After 18 months of construction, the superyacht was launched August 24 at the VARD Tulcea shipyard in Romania. Watch the time-lapse and video of the launch here:

REV Ocean will be equipped for conducting missions by scientists and innovators for "solutions-oriented" research that explores issues such as the impact CO2 emissions have on the ocean, plastic pollution, and unsustainable fishing. The vessel is 182.9 meters long and will have the capacity of holding 55 scientists and 35 crew. Equipment onboard includes scientific trawls, sonar systems, laboratories, auditorium and classrooms, moonpool, AUV and submarine, an ROV with 6,000 meters depth capacity, and advanced communication equipment. REV Ocean is a not-for-profit company established and funded by Norwegian businessman Kjell Inge Røkke, who reportedly will have to pay the same charter fee to use his own mega yacht.

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Rich Armstrong

Senior Editor, BoatUS Magazine

A journalist by training, BoatUS Magazine Senior Editor Rich Armstrong has worked in TV news, and at several newspapers, then spent 18 years as a top editor at other boating publications. He’s built a stellar reputation in the marine industry as one of the most thorough reporters in our business. At BoatUS Magazine, Rich handles everything from boat and product innovation and late-breaking news, to compelling feature stories, boat reviews, and features on people and places. The New Jersey shore and lakes of lower New York defined Rich's childhood. But when he bought a 21-foot Four Winns deck boat and introduced his young family to the Connecticut River, his love for the world of boats flourished from there.