Kystdesign to Deliver Advanced ROV to Dutch NIOZ

Engineering firm Kystdesign has 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 Supporter 6000 will be delivered in June 2026 and will serve the entire Dutch marine research community.

The ROV is designed for ultra-deepwater operations, capable of reaching depths of up to 6,000 meters.

It is equipped with six high-resolution cameras and 41 electrical connectors for interfacing external equipment such as tooling, survey sensors, and cameras.

The Supporter 6000 also accommodates 24 hydraulic functions, all proportionally controlled. The ROV control system is prepared for a variety of auto functions like AutoPOS and AutoTRACK capabilities, in addition to over-the-horizon control from a Remote Operation Center (ROC) onshore.

The ROV will be assigned a role aboard the RV Anna Weber-van Bosse, the future flagship of the Dutch research fleet.

“We currently don’t have anything like it available for the Dutch scientific community. 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 them can rotate along seven different axes,” said Gert-Jan Reichart, head of the NIOZ Ocean Systems department.