Inside the Award-Winning REM Pioneer

Yet behind the award-winning exterior lies another story.

While cranes, engines and hybrid technology often dominate the headlines, life on board depends just as much on the spaces hidden behind the steel. For the crew spending weeks at sea, the vessel is not only a workplace, but also a temporary home.

That is where Norwegian interior specialist Vestnes Ocean enters the picture.

The company has delivered the complete interior package for REM Pioneer, from the earliest design concepts to the final installation on board. The assignment included accommodation outfitting, insulation and interior engineering, all developed in close collaboration with Rem Offshore and Myklebust Verft.

According to Managing Director Jonny Bjørnset, the project represents one of the company's most comprehensive deliveries to date.

"We delivered the complete interior package. That included the interior design, installation on board and insulation of both the accommodation areas and technical spaces," Bjørnset says.

For Vestnes Ocean, however, the project was never simply about furnishing another offshore vessel. It was about creating an environment where more than one hundred people can live comfortably while carrying out demanding operations far from shore.

More than furniture

From the outside, it is easy to underestimate what an interior contractor actually delivers. For Vestnes Ocean, the scope stretches far beyond sofas, tables and cabins.

The company designs complete accommodation concepts, develops detailed 3D-visualisations, supplies furniture, manufactures custom-built interiors, installs insulation systems and carries out the onboard installation itself.

Everything must meet strict maritime regulations while also creating an environment where crews can relax after long shifts. Compared with many of the company's previous deliveries, REM Pioneer stands out.

"If we compare it with a fishing vessel, this project was probably around three times larger," Bjørnset says.

The company became involved long before construction began at Myklebust Verft. Vestnes Ocean had already prepared preliminary budgets during the tender phase, and once the contract was awarded, its designers immediately joined the project team to begin developing the vessel's accommodation areas.

That early involvement proved essential. Rather than adapting interiors to an already completed design, Vestnes Ocean worked alongside the yard and the owner throughout the planning process, ensuring every room would function as intended once the vessel entered service.

Designed around the crew

Offshore vessels are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Hybrid propulsion systems reduce emissions, digital technologies improve efficiency and complex mission equipment expands operational capabilities. Yet Bjørnset believes one priority has become increasingly important over the past decade. Crew wellbeing. People working offshore spend weeks living on board, often in demanding conditions. When the working day ends, the quality of the accommodation becomes just as important as the technology on deck.

According to Bjørnset, Rem Offshore placed crew comfort at the centre of the design brief from the very beginning.

"There was a strong focus on comfort. The owner had very clear expectations regarding the standard they wanted to achieve," he says.

The vessel accommodates up to 120 people, creating a challenge that extends far beyond simply providing enough cabins. Communal areas must accommodate large numbers of people without feeling crowded. Crew members should be able to socialise, train, eat or simply enjoy some quiet time after work. Rather than designing one large communal room, Vestnes Ocean created several different environments throughout the accommodation.

"Some people want to watch television. Others want to play cards, while some simply prefer to sit somewhere quieter. It is important that there are different options," Bjørnset explains.

The result includes spacious lounges, a large mess room, gym facilities and carefully planned accommodation areas designed to encourage both relaxation and social interaction. While naval architects determine the overall arrangement of the vessel, Vestnes Ocean works closely with the owner to shape how each individual space feels once completed.

Inspired by Norway's coastline

Unlike many commercial interiors, REM Pioneer was not built around a generic design concept.

Instead, Vestnes Ocean introduced its own signature collection, Klova.

Developed specifically for the maritime industry, the concept takes its inspiration from Kinnaklova (The Cliff of Kinn), one of Norway's most recognisable coastal landmarks. Located just outside Florø, the distinctive twin-peaked rock formation has guided generations of Norwegian seafarers navigating the west coast. Its silhouette has become deeply associated with Norwegian maritime heritage.

Vestnes Ocean translated that heritage into an interior concept inspired by the landscape itself.

"We have drawn inspiration from both the colours and the shapes of Kinnaklova," Bjørnset says. "It is a landmark that most Norwegian seafarers know."

The design combines Scandinavian simplicity with practical solutions developed specifically for life at sea. Furniture from Norwegian manufacturer Ekornes complements the concept, creating interiors that combine residential comfort with the durability required onboard an offshore vessel.

"The lines and shapes are designed for people who both live and work on board for weeks at a time," Bjørnset says. "Together with quality furniture, we created a package that met exactly the standard Rem Offshore was looking for."

The inspiration may come from Norway's dramatic coastline, but every design decision ultimately serves a practical purpose: creating spaces that crews actually enjoy spending time in.

Creating 'peace and calm'

Every interior project at Vestnes Ocean begins in much the same way, not with drawings or materials, but with a story.

Before a single piece of furniture is ordered or a colour is selected, the design team works with the shipowner to establish the atmosphere they want to create on board. Inspiration can come from nature, landscapes or even everyday objects, before being translated into colour palettes, materials and textures. The process is highly collaborative.

Vestnes Ocean develops detailed mood boards and 3D renderings, allowing the owner to experience the accommodation long before construction begins.

"It is quite an extensive process," Bjørnset says. "We start by developing a colour palette before producing detailed 3D renderings, so the owner can see exactly what the finished accommodation will look like before anything is ordered."

For REM Pioneer, the concept became "Peace and Calm."

Soft blue tones inspired by the sea, combined with warm Scandinavian materials, were chosen to create an atmosphere that feels both contemporary and relaxing.

"We wanted to create a feeling of peace," Bjørnset explains. "The palette is built around calm, light blue colours inspired by the sea."

Choosing the final interior was far from a simple catalogue exercise.

Representatives from Vestnes Ocean, Rem Offshore and Norwegian furniture manufacturer Ekornes spent an entire day reviewing fabrics, colours and furniture combinations before agreeing on the final design.

"It is a process with continuous dialogue," Bjørnset says. "We work closely together with the owner until everything feels right."

The result is an interior that reflects Scandinavian design principles without becoming minimalist or clinical, spaces intended to reduce stress after long working days offshore.

Comfort you cannot see

Walking through REM Pioneer, visitors are likely to notice the furniture, lighting and colour scheme first. What they will not notice is perhaps the most important part of the entire interior project.

Noise.

Modern offshore vessels generate continuous vibration from propulsion systems, machinery and auxiliary equipment. Without carefully engineered insulation, that vibration travels throughout the vessel, reducing comfort and making quality sleep difficult. For Bjørnset, acoustic performance was one of the project's highest priorities.

"The cabins are where people spend most of their time outside work," he says. "That means we have to think carefully about noise."

Vestnes Ocean therefore devoted considerable attention to floating floor systems, structural insulation and specialised installation techniques.

Three different types of noise must be controlled: structure-borne noise, airborne noise and impact noise.

Structure-borne noise originates from machinery and propulsion systems and travels through the steel structure of the vessel. Airborne noise moves through the air between cabins and accommodation spaces. Impact noise is generated by footsteps, trolleys and other activities that excite the deck structure and can be heard in adjacent spaces.

"Managing all three noise paths is essential for achieving the required comfort levels on board," says Bjørnset. "The right products are important, but correct installation is equally critical."

It is this invisible engineering, hidden beneath floors and behind bulkheads, that ultimately determines whether a cabin feels peaceful after a demanding twelve-hour shift offshore.

Built to last

Sustainability has become an increasingly important consideration throughout the maritime industry. For Vestnes Ocean, however, sustainability begins with durability. Rather than focusing solely on recycled materials or environmental labels, the company believes products should first be designed to remain in service for many years.

"The owner wants products that last," Bjørnset says. "Quality is an important part of sustainability because it reduces the need for replacement."

That philosophy also influenced the development of the company's new Klova collection. By redesigning dimensions and optimising manufacturing processes, Vestnes Ocean has reduced material consumption by approximately 20 per cent, while maintaining the same structural performance.

"The idea behind Klova was to reduce material consumption while maintaining quality," Bjørnset says.

Operating within the maritime sector also means every product must comply with stringent certification requirements.

"We cannot simply choose any materials we like," he explains. "Everything has to be approved for use on board, so selecting reliable suppliers is essential."

For Bjørnset, sustainability is therefore achieved through a combination of certified materials, efficient production and products capable of lasting throughout the vessel's operational life.

A complex collaboration

Few shipbuilding projects involve as many specialist disciplines working simultaneously as a modern offshore newbuilding. Steelwork, piping, electrical systems, accommodation, HVAC, insulation and countless other trades must progress together, often within the same compartments. Coordination is therefore essential.

"There are many different trades involved," Bjørnset says. "Steel, piping, electrical systems and interiors all have to come together at exactly the right time."

He believes Myklebust Verft has handled that challenge particularly well. Traditionally known for conversions and upgrades, the yard has expanded into increasingly advanced newbuilding projects in recent years. According to Bjørnset, REM Pioneer demonstrates how efficiently those different disciplines can work together when planning and communication function well.

"Myklebust has done a very good job. There are naturally many challenges when building vessels of this size, but I think everything has flowed very well throughout the project."

Vestnes Ocean itself became involved before construction even started. Its designers then worked closely with both the owner and the yard, adapting layouts, selecting products and ensuring every solution would function as intended once installed on board.

For Bjørnset, that early involvement proved crucial. Good accommodation cannot simply be added once a vessel has been designed. It has to be integrated into the project from the very beginning.