The Research Vessels department manages and operates IMR's research vessels "G.O. Sars", "Johan Hjort", "G.M. Dannevig" and "Kristine Bonnevie" (formerly "Dr. Fridtjof Nansen"). In addition, IMR also manages and operates RV "Hans Brattström", owned by the University of Bergen, the new "Dr. Fridtjof Nansen", owned by Norad, and "Kronprins Haakon", owned by the Norwegian Polar Institute.
The new RV "Dr. Fridtjof Nansen" left the yard in Spain in January 2017 and started the first cruise from Casablanca in West Africa in May 2017. This vessel will mostly operate along the coast of Africa and in the Indian Ocean.
The research icebreaker "Kronprins Haakon" was launched in Italy in 2017. After tests in Norway, "Kronprins Haakon" set for its first scientific expedition to the Barents Sea in August 2018, and to Antarctica in January 2019.
"Håkon Mosby" was removed from the fleet in 2016 and was replaced by "Kristine Bonnevie".