Yacht: Oceanco H3 Redesign

Oceanco’s 345-foot (105-meter) H3 is less a refit and more a rebirth. Twenty-three years after it was delivered, H3 emerged from the Dutch shipyard’s Alblasserdam facilities in 2023 virtually unrecognizable. A 33-foot (10-meter) extension, a fully replaced superstructure and a redesign of the ...

Dec 2, 2024 - 12:39

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Oceanco’s 345-foot (105-meter) H3 is less a refit and more a rebirth. Twenty-three years after it was delivered, H3 emerged from the Dutch shipyard’s Alblasserdam facilities in 2023 virtually unrecognizable. A 33-foot (10-meter) extension, a fully replaced superstructure and a redesign of the engineering package for IMO Tier III compliance were enough for Lloyd’s Register to classify the yacht as a new build.

The yacht was built in 2000 as 312-foot (95-meter) Al Mirqab for a member of the Qatari royal family. It was acquired six years later for a reported $113 million by Vijay Mallya, Formula 1’s Force India boss. He renamed the yacht Indian Empress and, in 2016, spent 6.4 million euros on a refit. The yacht’s deep-red interior and ornate gilt-work were swapped out for contrasting woods, pale neutral colors and large works of art.

A year later, Mallya was charged with money laundering and defrauding a consortium of Indian banks. The yacht was seized and eventually sold at auction to the current Middle Eastern owner, who has carved out an entirely new vessel.

The three-year rebuild saw the vessel stripped back to the hull. Reymond Langton reimagined the exterior and interior, with naval architecture by Lateral Naval Architects and Oceanco. The owner’s representative was Richard Hein, the yacht’s original designer and architect, and today the founder and CEO of The A Group.

With the 33-foot extension—26 feet (8 meters) to the steel hull at the stern and 7 feet (2 meters) to the forward deck line—there was enough space to accommodate the owner’s request for an infinity pool aft with a convertible dance floor and a waterfall that spills over the polished chrome H3 nameplate.

The beach club with a rippled mirror ceiling

Conversely, the owner’s deck aft and upper deck aft—once used to host parties at the Monaco Grand Prix—were shortened. Coupled with a new enclosed gym on the sundeck, the changes give the 20-year-old yacht a more balanced and modern profile.

“The yacht was very boxy before, so we cut the entire superstructure off and rebuilt it to be as sleek as possible,” says Jonathan Bevan, Reymond Langton’s exterior designer, who also designed H3’s two Compass tenders: a 36-foot (11-meter) limousine and a 34-foot (10-meter) open sport.

A touch-and-go helipad is on the foredeck, rated for an H155 helicopter. Raked windows on the forward upper decks were replaced with vertical full-height windows, which allowed for the removal of some supporting pillars on the upper deck.

Bevan also eschewed straight lines on the superstructure in favor of contoured bulwarks that run the length of the yacht. “We’ve added a rolling wave undercut that reflects the surface of the sea below and gives a sense of motion when the boat is moving,” he says.

The ripple effect is echoed in topline outdoor lighting that washes the bulwarks and sole in soft illumination at night.
It’s different from more common exterior-deck lighting because of the owner’s second request: to make H3 the best charter boat on the market.

That mandate continues on the inside, with an interior that was taken back to the bare skin and designed anew.

“A refit of this scale has not been done before,” says Reymond Langton’s interior designer, Elizabeth Kozlova. “We wanted to create something dramatic and unrecognizable that can be enjoyed by family as well as entertain.”

The main salon with a bar and views out to sea

The yacht is filled with custom artwork, including leather wall panels by Helen Amy Murray, woven metal by Sophie Mallebranche and decorated glass by Bernard Pictet. Fiddleback sycamore, soft nubucks, light oak and leathers contrast with bronze and nickel detailing. The ivory and taupe palette continues into the guest staterooms, where ensuites and day heads are dressed in light marbles such as Calacatta vagli and crema delicato, along with backlit quartz.

Concealed stowage for crockery and glassware is behind walled mirrors that reflect natural light. A fun feature is the 33-foot (10-meter) video corridor that links the welcome lounge and bar with the main salon. It’s also a clever concealment of the tender bays on either side that push into the interior.

The dedicated owner’s deck has a full-beam, forward-facing stateroom with walk-in closets and matching ensuites. A beauty salon and a study can be used as additional guest staterooms. The owner’s lounge, which doubles as a cinema, has sofas, casual dining for 14 people, three Lasvit glass chandeliers and two backlit infinity mirrors. It leads directly into a climate-controlled winter garden. An extendable table here has seating for 32 people. Glass doors pull back to reveal a 130-inch outdoor cinema screen on the exterior deck.

A spa on the lower deck has an interconnecting hammam and sensory shower, along with a hair salon and massage and beauty rooms. The beach club is located portside, with a rippled mirror ceiling, shell door and stepped access to the sea. It keeps the stern area clear for toy stowage and provides greater guest privacy when the yacht is in view of shoreside spectators.

H3’s gross tonnage increased from 3,045 to 3,521 during the rebuild, allowing for high ceilings, more quarters to sleep 32 crew, and a full-beam VIP stateroom with private use of the bridge deck aft. Adding that to the guest staterooms on the main deck, the yacht can accommodate a total of 10 to 20 overnight guests.

The three original MTU main engines delivered a top speed of 26 knots, which made Al Mirqab one of the fastest large yachts in the world on delivery. Preferring efficiency, the current owner replaced them with two lower-horsepower MTUs that provide an 18-knot top speed and improved fuel consumption. The yacht’s range increased to a hefty 7,500 nautical miles when cruising at 12 knots.

Perhaps the most interesting outcome is the yacht’s reduced build schedule for what is effectively a full-custom yacht. The rebuild offers a blueprint for a more sustainable method of yachtbuilding—a lesson in how to upcycle.

Now listed for sale with Edmiston for around $328 million, the yacht looks as though the owner’s investment will more than pay off.