Once a semi submersible, cargo carrying, merchant ship, the superyacht carrier, Super Servant 3 has herself now been converted into a superyacht.
Built over 40 years ago and launched in 1982 by Oshima Shipbuilding in Japan the semi-submersible vessel has been transformed in to a 146 metre expedition yacht at a shipyard in Turkey.
The Karmarine Shipyard began working on the project back in 2017 when she was retired from active duty as a superyacht carrier by Dockwise. Yacht designer Timur Bozca, who won the Young Designer of the Year in 2015 is the brains behind the vessels extra ordinary new guise.
Now carrying the name OK and registered in the Marshall Islands the superyacht is somewhat unusual in that she has retained her ability to flood up and so create an island in the sea and a virtual lagoon on which the owner’s seaplane and sailboat can be stored.
Loading toys and tenders onboard could not be easier thanks to her semi submersible nature. The ship’s ability to submerge with almost 70% of herself under water allows her to accommodate 70 different toys such as her own 46 metre sailing yacht, tenders, buggies, amphibious vehicles and a sea plane, making her any fun-seeking adult’s dream.
The former superyacht carrier has been completely reconfigured so as to carry 20 guests and now boasts an indoor swimming pool surrounded by glass windows, a botanical garden, four aquariums and an open-air tennis court, an outdoor cinema, and a sun deck jacuzzi for their enjoyment.
Enhancing the ships deployment capabilities she has also been fitted with a 40 tonne crane a large car ramp and a vertical wind turbine
Designer Timur Bozca said: ‘We aimed to create the unique feelings of being on an undiscovered island, we have done it and OK has already started to travel the world.’ Bozca was delighted to have the chance to work alongside the shipyard in his home country. Talking about the team at the Karmarine shipyard, he said: “Working with people with extraordinary vision gives me great pleasure and has given us all the opportunity to really push the project to it limits.”
Operating semi submersible ships are not easy and it is likely that with a gross tonnage of 10, 224 OK will be operated with a commercially certificated crew who should be well aware of the pitfalls.
While carrying a cargo of yachts, the superyacht carrier Super Servant 4 caused concern in Palma de Majorca during June 2020 when an electrical failure, on board caused ballast water to be incorrectly transferred from one side to the other. This combined with electrical issues led to heavy listing of the carrier. More seriously in December 2006, Dockwise’s heavy lift vessel, Mighty Servant 3 sank completely in 60 metres of water while offloading the semi-submersible drilling rig Aleutian Keyin the port of Luanda, Angola. She was salvaged by SMIT International the following spring and has since returned to service.