Jho Low's 1MDB Equanimity superyacht now a cutting-edge support and research vessel

LocalBusiness & Finance
19 May 2026 • 10:19 AM MYT
The Vibes
The Vibes

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EQUANIMITY, the 91.5-metre luxury vessel, once owned by fugitive financier Jho Low and a key asset in the infamous 1MDB scandal, has been radically transformed into a cutting-edge support and research vessel, now named Draak.

Seized by Malaysian authorities in 2018, the yacht was sold in 2019 to a unit of the Genting Group for a fraction of its original value.

It was rebranded as Tranquility and offered for charter at a staggering USD 1.25 million (RM 5.47 million) per week.

According to reports on luxurylaunches.com, the current owner, Gabe Newell, the enigmatic founder of Valve and a gaming mogul, has swapped the pools and spas for decompression chambers and heavy cranes, and has begun its crucial sea trials.

The yacht that once revolved around spa living, private leisure, and floating-palace indulgence has effectively become a highly specialised operational companion vessel for Gabe Newell’s 111-meter Oceanco flagship Leviathan.

Image from: Jho Low's 1MDB Equanimity superyacht now a cutting-edge support and research vessel

Draak has moved from leisure-first to operations-first, with almost every major modification pointing toward expedition support, dive capability, logistics, and long-duration functionality at sea.

The yacht can carry additional crew, dive teams, tenders, specialists, technicians, and operational equipment while handling the wetter, louder, and more repetitive work that would otherwise interfere with life aboard Leviathan.

It can stage dive operations ahead of the mothership, move gear between sites, support diver recovery, provide overflow accommodation, and reduce operational clutter aboard the primary vessel.

Newell has previously said that “yachts have great potential” as scientific platforms, and Draak’s rebuild finally gives that philosophy a visible operational form. – May 19, 2026