A 206-foot North Sea Search-and-Rescue vessel purchased in Norway for a client and currently completing conversion to a global expedition yacht in Argentina. Owner-led, end-to-end — managed by Xplorer Yachts.
North Sea Search-and-Rescue vessels are engineered for survival. High freeboard, ice-strengthened hull, twin diesel-electric propulsion with independent redundancy, retractable stabilisers, and a sea-state operating envelope that exceeds anything in the commercial yacht fleet. The 63-metre subject of this conversion was built and operated for SAR duty in the North Sea before retiring from active service.
Vessels of this profile rarely come to market. When they do, the buyer who recognises the conversion potential captures an ocean-going platform at a small fraction of the cost of a comparable purpose-built expedition yacht. Our client did exactly that, with Xplorer Yachts representing him on the acquisition, negotiation, and ongoing conversion management.
Our client’s mission profile required true global capability: high-latitude voyaging, autonomous extended voyages, helideck, dive operations, and accommodation for family and invited guests at expedition-yacht standard. The SAR platform answers each of those requirements before conversion begins; conversion is then about hospitality, interior architecture, and yacht-grade finishes — not about the ship.
Hull strip and re-fit work is underway at the conversion yard in Argentina. Naval architecture is complete; interior design is being developed by an invited studio. Classification trajectory and flag have been determined in collaboration with the owner’s preferred class society and registry. Delivery is anticipated within the project’s contracted window; we report weekly to the owner with photo and video documentation from the yard.
The combination of skilled steel and outfit labour, established yacht-conversion experience, and a favourable cost basis makes the Buenos Aires region a serious contender for projects of this scale. We engaged the yard after a comparable-tender process against alternatives in Europe and the United States; the Argentina yard offered the best combination of price, schedule, and supervision access.
The SAR platform answers the mission before conversion begins. Conversion is then about hospitality, interior, and finish — not about whether the ship can go where the owner wants to go.
SAR, OSV, research, and ice-class platforms come available periodically. If your mission warrants this kind of capability, contact Paul directly for a feasibility conversation.
Discuss a Conversion