The ship is undergoing a complete transformation in Las Palmas, Spain. Astican, a Spanish company specializing in ship repair and maintenance, is leading the project.
It’s a project of unprecedented scale. A former American ship owned by NOAA, a scientific agency of the US government, measuring nearly 68 meters in length and 13 meters in width, is currently being transformed in Palmas, Spain.
Now named “El Dagon”, the ship now belongs to Inkfish, a private ocean research organization, led by Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve Corporation, known for games like Counter-Strike and Dota.
According to El Periodico, the vessel is being handled by Astican, a Spanish company specializing in ship repair and maintenance. The ship will be transformed into a marine research center, described as the “Rolls-Royce” of the seas, the “NASA of the deep sea”.
It will be able to house a titanium submersible named Bakunawa, capable of diving to depths of up to 11,000 meters. Fully automated, the boat will have an energy management system, and the decks will be renovated with rails installed to move the submersible and a hangar for storage.
Previously known as Triton, the submarine is considered one of the most advanced manned submersibles in the world.
To pilot it, a pilot named Kate Wawatai has been chosen. Wawatai is known for being a skilled pilot when it comes to submersibles and is one of the few people capable of piloting such equipment to depths of up to 10,000 meters.
