The 105-metre Oceanco superyacht H3 has been spotted undertaking sea trials in the North Sea after completing a full-scale rebuild at her home shipyard in January.
The 2000-built yacht returned to Oceanco in October 2019 and emerged from the shed earlier this year with a new look, including a brand new superstructure and a totally new interior by Reymond Langton. She has also been brought up to new standards in technology, safety, capability, utility, and sustainability, according to the yard.
In a statement, Oceanco called the rebuild of H3 a first of its kind. "The yachting world has seen commercial vessels converted into superyachts, and heritage yachts being returned to their original glory, but this is the first time a superyacht has been recreated to face the future as a wholly new, contemporary vessel," said a spokesperson for the yard.
The shipyard has previously said it hoped to inspire other owners to consider a similar undertaking. The rebuild has allowed the owner to bypass long wait periods for delivery slots and reduce the overall construction time of the vessel by around a year, as the engineering and hull construction were already complete.
Richard Hein, acting on behalf of the owner's representative at The A Group, praised the "unimaginable transformation" of the superyacht. "A yacht is more than just the materialisation of an owner’s vision. It has its own character, its own specific habitat, with a unique purpose and story. Through the achievements of this project we have been able to extend the story of a remarkable superyacht for decades to come," he said.
"It is about seeing the potential for all vessels, rather than starting from a blank sheet of paper each time," he added.
Paris Baloumis, Oceanco's marketing director, said he was delighted that Oceanco was able to offer a more eco-conscious approach to yacht-building. “It is our ambition that this landmark project will inspire owners of existing yachts to benefit from the gift of time while adding value to their ownership experience as well as the planet. Through this approach, icons have the potential to become the fresh new faces of tomorrow," he said.
“It is a proud moment for me to see the nearing completion of this transformation, having personally been involved in returning 1050H [now known as H3] to her birthplace for this ambitious project”, said Doctor Mohammed Al Barwani, chairman of Oceanco.
According to BOATPro, Oceanco currently has two other projects under construction.