The steamship Gonca exhibited at the Rahmi M. Koç Museum in Istanbul was voted first in its category by the public at the Classic Boat Awards held in the United Kingdom.

Mine Sofuoğlu, the general manager of the Rahmi M. Koç Museum, attended the ceremony in the U.K. to accept the award, stating: "It is a great pride for us that Gonca participated in such a prestigious competition and received an award. We thank all the sea enthusiasts who participated in the voting."

Türkiye's first and only industrial museum, the Rahmi M. Koç Museum once again brought its contribution to Turkish maritime to the international stage. The Gonca, part of the museum's collection, earned the award from the competition organized by the England-based Classic Boat magazine. Competing among motorized vessels over 30.5 meters (100 feet), Gonca, one of three ships in this category, was selected as the winner. The Classic Boat Awards, held since 2007, bring together sea vehicles freely traversing the blue waters, from century-old traditional ships to restored ones, from sailboats to motorized pleasure boats. The winners of the competition, held in six categories, are selected by public voting.

The award for Gonca was accepted by Sofuoğlu at the ceremony held in England on April 3. Sofuoğlu said in her statement regarding the award, "It is a great pride for us that Gonca participated in such a prestigious competition and received an award. Experiencing this pride for the second time is an extra joy."

Engine manufactured in the U.K.

The origin of Gonca, which the Ottoman Navy converted into a mine-laying ship during World War I and used for this purpose, still remains a mystery. Some traces inside the ship suggest it was built in a shipyard in Northern Europe. The stamps on the ship's engine indicate that it was manufactured in England. Turkish maritime history experts, based on Ottoman sources, believe that Gonca may have been used as a support ship in the Port of Thessaloniki.

Saved from destruction

After the Gallipoli Campaign, Gonca was towed to Gonca Cove near the Naval Base in Gölcük, taking its current name, where it was used as a transport ship by the Turkish Naval Forces until 1989. Saved from destruction by the Rahmi M. Koç Foundation for Museology and Culture, Gonca was restored in Istanbul, Tuzla, in 1993, and the ship was launched as a luxury yacht in 1997. The ship, 32 meters long with a width of 6 meters and a depth of 3.25 meters, stands as a remarkable piece of maritime history.

A significant contribution to victory

The exhibited steamship made significant contributions as the "Thessaloniki Mine Ship" during the defense of the Çanakkale Strait in World War I. Gonca was also honored with a plaque of honor for its contributions to victory during the "Heroes of a Great Naval Victory" panel held in the Rahmi M. Koç Museum Conference Hall as part of the 109th anniversary of the Çanakkale Naval Victory on March 18.

The boats winning awards in the competition will also be announced in the May issue of Classic Boat magazine.