The historic 117-meter superyacht *Galeb* (“Seagull”) has been fully restored and refurbished by Croatia’s Kraljevica Shipyard. Once owned by Marshal Josip Broz Tito, the former leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the yacht is now set to serve as a museum.



The new floating museum will showcase the ship’s rich history while also offering public amenities such as a restaurant, café, and guest accommodations. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, ownership of the yacht transferred to the Montenegrin government. It was later sold to Greek billionaire John Paul Papanicolaou but was seized by the Croatian government in 2009 due to unpaid docking fees. After lengthy legal disputes, the city of Rijeka purchased the vessel with plans to transform it into a “floating museum” at an estimated cost of £8 million.



Restoration work began in December 2019 but faced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Marine and Energy Solutions spearheaded the reconstruction, while interior refurbishments were carried out by Primat RD and Črnelić. The yacht’s original furniture was carefully restored under the supervision of the Croatian Ministry of Culture’s Department of Cultural Heritage. The museum is expected to open in the first half of 2025.



Originally built in 1938 in Genoa as the refrigerated cargo ship *Ramb III*, the vessel was repurposed by German forces during World War II as the auxiliary cruiser *Kiebitz*. In 1944, it was sunk by Allied airstrikes in Rijeka.

Josip Broz Tito on the deck of his ship Galeb in the Suez Canal, 1955 - Zdravko Pečar - Museum of African Art (Belgrade)

The ship was salvaged in 1948 by Yugoslav rescue operations, repaired, and converted into a training vessel for the Yugoslav Navy under the name *Galeb*. In 1952, it was further modified into a luxury yacht for Tito, who spent 318 days aboard and traveled 86,062 miles on the ship. Over the years, *Galeb* hosted numerous notable figures, including Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev, Muammar Gaddafi, Sophia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Josip Broz Tito on the deck of his ship Galeb in the Suez Canal, 1955 - Zdravko Pečar - Museum of African Art (Belgrade)

With a displacement of 5,754 tons, the ship measures 117 meters in length, 15.13 meters in width, and can reach speeds of 17 knots. Prior to its recent refurbishment, the yacht was powered by two Fiat diesel engines with a combined output of 7,200 horsepower, installed in 1938. The current status of these engines remains unknown.