The 80.1-metre custom Damen Yachting support vessel U-81 has been sold in an off-market deal, with Charles Carveles from Edmiston representing the buyer and Tim Vickers from Burgess representing the seller.
In 2022, U-81 underwent a full-scale conversion to turn her into a support vessel, having started life as an offshore oil and gas platform at one of Damen's commercial sites in Asia. Construction on the semi-complete hull known as Naghi 1000 halted in the mid-2010s, but it would later resurface as U-81 following a conversion at a Damen facility in the UAE. She was formerly the support vessel to Amels' 89-metre Here Comes the Sun, which is currently one of the world's most expensive superyachts for sale.
Azure Naval Architects was chosen to oversee the refit and conversion project, maintaining the vessel's utilitarian look, recessed aft deck and high forebody connected to a helipad. Space below the helipad can be used for storing tenders and toys, while the aft deck has further space for a sizeable chase boat with quadruple outboard engines and a hardtop.
With the tenders launched, the space can double as a basketball court and there is a crane on hand for easy launch and recovery.
While she is technically the largest yacht in Damen's yacht support fleet, she is not the largest purpose-built support vessel in the Damen Yachting fleet; this crown belongs to Abeona, the support vessel of the world's largest sailing yacht, Koru.
Lying in Palma, Mallorca, U-81's asking price was undisclosed.