Inside Submarine Museum Melaka: A Unique Look at Life Underwater

The SMD Ouessant (S623), a French-built Agosta 70-class diesel-electric attack submarine, now serves as a museum exhibit at the Submarine Museum (Muzium Kapal Selam) in Klebang, Malacca, Malaysia. This vessel played a pivotal role in training the first crews of the Royal Malaysian Navy submarines between 2005 and 2009.

Officially launched on 23 October 1976, the Agosta 70-class submarines feature a double-hull design, comprising an inner pressure hull and an outer light hull. Measuring 67.6 meters in length and 6.8 meters in width, the Agosta 70 was built for stealth, endurance, and combat readiness beneath the ocean surface. It could accommodate a total of 65 personnel, consisting of 7 officers and 58 crew members, all working in extremely confined spaces optimized for operational efficiency. Though retired today, it remains a testament to Cold War-era submarine engineering and offers a rare insight into life aboard a military submarine.

 Submarine Museum Melaka

The internal structure of this submarine is organized into several key compartments:

Forward Torpedo Room: Located at the bow, this compartment houses four torpedo tubes capable of launching both 550 mm and 533 mm torpedoes. It also serves as storage for additional torpedoes and mines.

In many traditional diesel-electric submarines including Agosta 70, space was extremely limited, so crew sleeping arrangements were often placed in unconventional areas — including directly above torpedo racks in the forward torpedo room.

Control Room (Central Operations): This central hub contains navigation systems, sonar displays, periscope controls, and the fire control system. It is the primary location for monitoring and managing the submarine's operations.

In the Control Room, you'll find a designated steering and depth control station, commonly referred to as the steersman's or helmsman's area.

The steersman's station is at the front section of the Control Room, facing forward under the periscope area. It usually features:

• A small, cockpit-like seat or bench.

• Joystick-style or wheel-based control mechanisms.

• Panels filled with analog gauges, in line with 1970s-80s tech.

The navigation area is where the submarine's navigational planning, plotting, and monitoring take place. It is the nerve center for guiding the submarine safely through its underwater course.

A dummy crew member is seen physically rotate, raise, and lower the periscope, and adjust the focus manually.

After passing through the control room, the submarine’s interior narrows into a tight, confined walkway, just wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. The walls curve slightly inward, following the hull’s rounded shape, creating an enclosed, tunnel-like feeling.

 

Dim, overhead lighting casts a soft yellow glow, while pipes, valves, and electrical cables run neatly along the ceiling and upper walls — a constant reminder of the submarine’s mechanical heart.

"Entrée Interdite", which is French for "No Entry" or "Entry Forbidden." 

On the right side of the passage, a small door leads into the captain’s quarters — modest in size but more private than other crew areas, typically containing a single bunk, a desk, and a few personal items. 

Across the walkway on the right, you’ll find the galley (kitchen), a compact space with just enough room for a cook to prepare meals using tightly packed equipment: a stovetop, a small oven, and stacked storage lockers. 

The crew dining room, or mess area, is a compact, multifunctional space that serves both as a place to eat and to sleep. Along the narrow compartment, wood tables and bench-style seats are bolted to the floor, providing just enough room for a small group of crew members to sit, eat, and socialize during their off-duty hours. 

Above the dining tables, fold-down bunks or fixed sleeping platforms are installed, forming a second layer of use in the already-cramped area. These beds are often tightly spaced, with only a small clearance from the ceiling — just enough for a person to slide in and lie down. 

There are not 65 individual beds on a submarine. The actual number is much lower because crew members work in shifts and share beds—a system known as "hot bunking." When one crew member (A) wakes up to begin their shift, another crew member (B) who has just finished their shift takes that same bed to rest, , allowing the submarine to accommodate a larger crew with fewer sleeping spaces.

At the very rear of the submarine, past the sleeping quarters and storage spaces, lies the machine control room — a tight, high-pressure environment where the beating heart of the vessel is monitored and maintained. This compartment is filled wall-to-wall with gleaming metal panels, gauge clusters, valves, and control consoles.

On one side, a console displays readings for the propeller shaft, engine status, and cooling systems, with switches and levers used to control critical functions. Across from it, a maintenance area might hold tools, spares, and manuals, though space is minimal. 

The visit to the submarine was a fascinating experience, offering a rare glimpse into the cramped and complex life beneath the sea. Walking through the narrow corridors, observing the crew areas, and seeing the control and machine rooms up close made the visit memorable.

To make the visit more meaningful, the museum could consider providing a guide who offers explanations throughout the tour. This would help visitors better understand the submarine’s layout, functions, and life on board — especially details that aren’t obvious to outsiders. Alternatively, a video presentation showing the internal structure of the submarine with narration could also enhance the educational value of the experience.