NORMAR
Exploring the deep sea with Ægir 6000
The Norwegian Marine Robotics Facility is located in Bergen, Norway, and is home to the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named Ægir 6000. Ægir has been exploring the deep sea for more than 10 years and has completed more than 1000 dives. It is the only national ROV infrastructure in Norway specifically designed for deep-sea research and it is essential for advancing our knowledge of this relatively unknown part of the planet. The deep sea is Earth's final frontier: More than 50% of Earth is ocean deeper than 4 000 metres and 70% remains unexplored.
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Ægir can dive to 6 000 metres and carries a variety of sensory scientific equipment and cameras. It is deployed with a dedicated Tether Management System (TMS) so that it can be decoupled from the motion of the ship, enabling it to operate at a larger radius and even under Arctic sea ice.
NORMAR UPGRADES
In 2024, the University of Bergen received funding from the Research Council of Norway for the upgrade and continuation of Ægir 6000 as a piece of national infrastructure. Ægir was first put in service in 2015 and is deployed for approximately seven months of the year. The upgrade is important to extend the system's lifespan, add important new functionality and improve operational efficiency. The upgrade will include a comprehensive overhaul, necessary upgrades to several aspects of the system, and the procurement of critical spare parts. The funding will extend the life for a further 10 years.​​
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The NORMARII project has a NOK 60 million budget for the upgrade, with the University of Bergen as project owner and the Institute of Marine Research as partner. ​​​​​
PROJECT NEWS
MEET THE TEAM
Prof Rolf Birger Pedersen
Professor & Project Manager
Professor Rolf Pedersen founded the NORMAR facility and has a wealth of experience in marine geoscience and a deep-seated passion for uncovering the secrets of the deep sea. His expertise and curiosity drive the team to pursue groundbreaking discoveries and technological advancements.
Stig Monsen
Senior Engineer
Stig is the head of the expedition and field group at the Department of Earth Science (UiB). At NORMAR he is the person responsible for the logistics of Ægir and the storage facilities at Laksevåg. He oversees the specialized equipment for research cruise operations as well as the core storage facility.
Dr Håvard Hallås Stubseid
Researcher & Deputy Manager
Håvard has a PhD in marine geology and has worked extensively with data collected by the ROV. At NORMAR he is responsible for scheduling Ægir's cruise time, acquiring ROV personnel, and coordinating with the users of the infrastructure.
Maja Lian Jœger
Data Manager
Maja holds a Master's degree in marine geology, where she worked on data collected using Ægir. At NORMAR, she serves as the Data Manager, responsible for the video-archive, post-processing and developing the NORMAR online database.
PARTNERS
Contact us
NORMAR
Mailing address: Postboks 7803, NO-5020 Bergen
Visitor's address (by appointment only): Vågsgaten 22, 5160 Laksevåg, Bergen
+47 55 58 36 00