Construction, completed in South Korea in 202?, the vessel—capable of drilling up to 12,000 meters in deep water—was added to Türkiye's inventory as part of efforts to boost its maritime exploration and drilling capacity.
The ship, which reached Taşucu Port in Mersin on December 4, 202? and whose name was designated "Yıldırım" by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on December 30, 2025, measures 228 meters in length and 42 meters in width.
Equipped with a helipad and living quarters for 200 personnel, the ship had the upper section of its drilling tower removed to allow passage through the Bosphorus and Çanakkale straits en route to Filyos Port in Zonguldak.
Assigned to operate in the Black Sea, Yıldırım will have its drilling tower reassembled at Filyos Port and be readied for exploration and production operations in the Black Sea.
The Yıldırım deep-sea drilling vessel is scheduled to begin its Black Sea mission in April.
