92.9m Oceanco DRAAK Heads to FLIBS After Research-Focused Rebuild

Oceanco will bring the 92.9-metre DRAAK to the 2026 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show from 28 October to 1 November following an extensive rebuild at its Zwijndrecht facilities. Formerly known as Equanimity and later Tranquility, the yacht has been reworked for scientific research, marine exploration and dive operations within the Inkfish fleet.

A rebuild that changes the yacht’s mission

DRAAK’s programme went well beyond a conventional cosmetic refit, with Oceanco adapting the original platform to support research and exploration work. The yard’s Life Cycle Support and Design teams worked with the owner’s representatives, specialist suppliers and crews to integrate new operational systems while retaining the underlying yacht.

One of the most visible changes is the replacement of the former beach club and spa with a dedicated dive centre. The new arrangement includes diving equipment, a medical treatment room and a six-person decompression chamber designed for both oxygen and Heliox decompression procedures.

A decompression chamber built around the existing structure

Oceanco says the decompression chamber is the first fitted to one of its yachts, creating an unusual engineering problem inside an existing hull. Rather than cut a new opening into the structure, the team redesigned the chamber to pass through the available access route with only minimal clearance.

The installation required changes to the chamber’s overall height, windows, pipework and associated fittings before it could be brought aboard. Oceanco also developed a dedicated rail system for the operation, while the chamber’s finishes and interior details were adapted so the equipment would feel integrated with the yacht rather than added as an afterthought.

Tender operations replace the former helideck role

The rebuild also changed the yacht’s exterior working areas, including removal of the upper-deck helideck to create a more dedicated tender and mission-support arrangement. DRAAK now carries a dive boat, a sports tender, a RIB and SOLAS rescue tenders, giving the crew different craft for research, diving and general operations.

Handling equipment was upgraded around that new brief, including a 12.6-tonne jib crane with an 11-metre outreach and a custom twin-davit system on the main deck. The swim platform was extended by just over a metre and fitted with an extendable boarding platform to improve access during tender and dive operations.

Fort Lauderdale follows the Monaco debut

DRAAK appeared at the Monaco Yacht Show alongside the 111-metre Leviathan, another Oceanco associated with owner Gabe Newell and the Inkfish research programme. Fort Lauderdale will give the rebuilt yacht a separate US showcase after the Monaco appearance demonstrated how the two vessels are intended to operate as complementary platforms.

Following the rebuild, Oceanco gives DRAAK a beam of 14.5 metres and a gross tonnage of 2,894 GT. Superyacht Guide is reporting the FLIBS presentation as the latest development in the yacht’s new operating life, while the earlier rebuild and delivery milestones remain part of the project history.

Official sources: www.oceancoyacht.com; www.oceancoyacht.com; www.oceancoyacht.com.