Hello, I’m Doğukan Nezir, and I work as a Marine Customer Support Sales Consultant at Borusan Cat. Throughout my career, I’ve been part of numerous significant projects, but the one I’m about to share with you holds a special place in my heart, both professionally and personally. It’s the story of how we breathed new life into the Savarona yacht, a treasured legacy of our Republic’s founder, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

A Silent and Inactive Legacy:

The Savarona, an opulent yacht built in 1931 at the Blohm & Voss shipyards in Germany, was acquired as the "Presidential Yacht" and used by the founder of our Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, to host his guests from home and abroad.

The Savarona, carrying precious memories of Atatürk, had been inactive for nearly 10-11 years. This silence had almost made us forget how magnificent this yacht, with its deep sentimental value, once was.

The Cat equipment onboard Savarona was between 30-40 years old. This included two main engines that powered the yacht and three generators for its electrical needs. These Cat equipment had been installed in 1989, replacing the original steam-powered system, and faithfully served Savarona for many years. But, like all things, time had begun to take its toll on them as well.

Bringing Savarona Back to Life: A Journey of Challenge and Pride

The renovation process to restore this valuable legacy of Atatürk to sailing condition began. At this point, Borusan Cat stepped in. We started direct negotiations with military authorities and willingly took on the task of reviving Savarona. This would be an experience filled with pride and excitement for me and my teammates.

The moment I stepped into the engine room at the start of this project, the years of wear and tear on the machines were impossible to miss. Despite knowing how tough the road ahead would be, I couldn’t help but feel an exhilarating rush of excitement. Our inspections quickly revealed that the engines and generators required a complete overhaul. We began the process by carefully replacing only the essential parts, leaving the machines in place. All maintenance and repairs were carried out at our Gebze CRC (Component Rebuild Center), where the precision and dedication of our team were nothing short of remarkable. With just a core team of three, we worked with full commitment, breathing life back into the iconic Savarona. It was more than just a project—it was a revival of history.

Atatürk’s Legacy Sails Again with the Same Speed and Spirit:

One of the things that moved me the most during this process was seeing that after fully refurbishing the engines, Savarona had regained its original speed. It felt like time had reversed, and the yacht had returned to the glory of Atatürk’s era. The pride I felt in that moment is hard to express in words. Once again, we validated our confidence in Borusan Cat’s expertise.

Another truly remarkable aspect of this project was that Savarona came back to life in the 100th year of our Republic. Completing such a meaningful project during such a historic year made the experience profoundly emotional for all of us. We completed it in just seven months, starting in January, while strictly adhering to the specifications laid out. And by using Exchange parts, we were able to save 20-25% in costs, a significant achievement.

As Borusan Cat, we not only had the privilege of protecting our national heritage, but we also had the immense honor of sending Atatürk’s legacy, the Savarona, back to the sea.

In the end, this wasn’t just another job—it was the revival of a legacy, the resurrection of history. The joy of contributing to such a meaningful piece of our nation's past and restoring it to its former glory is something I will forever cherish. Savarona is no longer just a museum piece; it is a vessel ready to sail once again, carrying the memories of our leader. As Borusan Cat, we are proud to serve this legacy and leave our mark in history, aligned with our company’s purpose: We Create Solutions for a Better World.

We extend our gratitude to the Istanbul Shipyard Command and ASFAT for their invaluable collaboration and support throughout this project.

Doğukan Nezir
Author

Doğukan - Sales Consultant for Borusan Cat Marine Customer Support. Has been part of this family since his student days. In his free time, reads everything he can find, plays basketball and guitar.  Interested in motorsport and follows Schumi-Hakkinen, with whom he has competed since childhood.

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