Savarona, Atatürk's legacy, will greet the Bosphorus on Sunday

The story of the Savarona yacht, under the auspices of the Presidency, began with a proposal by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's wife, Emine Erdoğan, to reinstate it in the Navy. Subsequently, a three-alternative plan prepared under the instructions of Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu was presented to President Erdoğan and his wife Emine Erdoğan, who then transferred the yacht to the Naval Forces Command. At the behest of Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, various objects belonging to Atatürk from the Naval Museum were brought to the Savarona. Following a comprehensive restoration under the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Savarona yacht was incorporated into the navy thanks to work carried out by the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command. It will once again be on display at the "Blue Homeland" for TEKNOFEST, an event that shapes the future through science.

As part of TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland, a magnificent parade will be held on the Bosphorus on Sunday, August 24th, featuring the most prestigious vessels of our navy. This special event, held under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey and hosted by the Ministry of National Defense, will spread excitement about national technology. The Turkish Navy's distinguished platforms, including the TCG Anadolu, TCG Savarona, and the TCG HIZIRREİS submarine, will be in the Bosphorus from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM. The parade, which will begin at the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, will continue via Sarıyer, Tarabya, Emirgan, Kanlıca, Rumeli Hisarı, Kandilli, Bebek, Ortaköy, and the July 15 Martyrs' Bridge. Following a salute to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at Dolmabahçe, the parade will conclude at Moda, Caddebostan, and the Maltepe coast, showcasing magnificent views of the Bosphorus.

'ATATÜRK SPENT 56 DAYS ON THIS SHIP'

Referring to the history of the Savarona Yacht, Rear Admiral Recep Erdinç Yetkin, Commander of the Istanbul Shipyard, said, “The TCG Savarona you are currently on was built in Germany in 1931. Following its construction, it was forced to remain in Germany for a while because it was barred from entering territorial waters due to tax issues with the United States. At that time, the Republic of Turkey was also searching for a state yacht, and this yacht was identified and initiatives were initiated to acquire it. It was purchased on March 24, 1938, and the first Turkish flag was raised. On June 1, 1938, it arrived in front of Dolmabahçe and was ready to host Atatürk. Atatürk spent 56 days on this ship. However, these 56 days, although short, were a period during which important historical decisions were made. The Hatay issue, the celebration of the September 27 Preveza Naval Victory, which we sailors celebrate with great pride today, the Istanbul Zoning Plans, the Barbaros Hayrettin Memorial in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Important historical decisions, such as the opening and cleaning of the Pasha's Tomb to the public, are being made on this ship. Our ship, which served as a training ship for Naval Academy students on domestic and international cruises between 1951 and 1986, unfortunately bids farewell to the seas in 1986. After undergoing various modernization activities, it returned to our shipyard in 2016. After approximately seven years at our shipyard, the TCG Savarona will begin a new, comprehensive and major modernization on August 17, 2023, upon the directives of our President and under the supervision and supervision of First Lady Emine Erdoğan. During this process, our Commander of the Naval Forces, Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, has instructed us to prepare a three-phase plan. According to these plans, we have submitted to your attention our proposals, which include a three-phase cost and timeframe, including preserving our ship as a museum ship, granting it limited navigation capabilities, or restoring it to full navigation capabilities.

'SAVARONA WILL PASS THROUGH THE BOSPHORUS'

Yetkin stated, “Upon the approval of the plan designed to achieve a fully capable ship, we embarked on a comprehensive and dedicated effort with the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command and the ship's personnel we are currently on board. Within a short period of 10 months, all of our ships' sheet metal replacements were completed where necessary. Upon detection of asbestos, which was permitted at the time but is now prohibited, a comprehensive survey was conducted on the ship, and 80 tons of asbestos were removed from the ship. The cable routes needed by our ships were re-identified, pipes were identified, the necessary additional fire safety systems were imported, and the scrap machinery, in particular, was overhauled with a large overhaul, reaching nearly the design level. Following the completion of all tests, with the significant support of our Naval Forces Command, we completed training activities, and our crew was subjected to navigation safety training, completing simulator training, making our ship ready for sail. Tomorrow, on August 24, 2023, we will commission the 'Zafer Nizam', the nationally developed and developed ship of our Naval Forces.” Savarona, along with the ships we are on board, will transit the Bosphorus as the second ship of the order. At 3:30 PM, we will be at the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge. At 4:30 PM, we will be at Rumeli Hisarı. Finally, at 5:00 PM, we will salute our President from the starboard side with a maritime salute we have named "Çimariva." We believe that our valued people will salute us along this route with their flags along the Bosphorus. On this occasion, we extend our warmest wishes for Victory Day. We are currently finalizing our preparations for a festival called TEKNOFEST 'Blue Homeland.' We will be delighted to see our entire nation at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command on August 30-31, 2025, where 15 of our ships, including Savarona, will be on display. This comprehensive event will include competitions, events, demonstrations by our SAT and SAS Commandos, and rowing competitions.

DHA

Reporter: News Center