Lürssen is finally showing off its newest gigayacht. 

The German yard has kept the 358-foot O3 tightly under wraps throughout the entire construction process, but it shared a video of her on sea trials via YouTube late last week. 

O3 was built under the project name Shackleton as a nod to the Irish explorer Ernest Henry Shackleton, who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic in the early 1900s. (She has also been referred to as Icecap.) As with her original namesake, the yacht is a true explorer with a focus on high-altitude cruising. Designed and engineered for “every sea and any condition,” according to Lürssen, the 358-footer features an ice-class steel hull that can power through freezing waters and a lightweight aluminum superstructure that reduces overall weight for greater efficiency. 

The project was originally sold in March 2018 by Moran Yacht & Ship. At that time, the Fort Lauderdale-based yacht dealer stated that the vessel would be equipped with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion package, as well as high-tech systems for storing energy and heating and cooling, making her one of “the most advanced motor yachts” on the water. It would also be brimming with “off-road features,” including a large helipad with a sunken hangar and an observation room in the bow, Moran said. Construction commenced in 2018, according to Boat International.

The yacht stayed out of the spotlight for the next four years before it reportedly sold again in 2022. That same year, the vessel was spotted leaving the dock at Lürssen’s Peene-Werft facilities in northeastern Germany. She was transported to one of the yard’s floating drydocks in Hamburg, where outfitting was complete, BI says. 

O3 has been through a few changes since then. Her exterior and naval architecture were originally executed by Salt Ship Design, but Espen Øino restyled the yacht after the 2022 acquisition, according to SuperYacht Times. Similarly, the interiors, originally penned by Adam Lay, have been reimagined by CG Design, SYT says. The behemoth is expected to have a volume of over 6,000 GT and accommodate up to 20 guests. 

After a highly secretive and extraordinarily long eight-year build, O3 will be delivered sometime before the end of March, according to BOATPro. It will rank as one of the world’s largest superyachts and has no doubt been worth the wait.