After the Naval Update, new points of interest appeared out at sea. The most talked-about one is the Ghost Ship. It’s part mini monument, part event, and a strong PvP magnet. If you sail there for loot, be ready to fight bots, other players, and the clock at the same time.
These stationary ships are scattered randomly across the new Deep Sea biome. They’re filled with crates and guarded by scientists, and sometimes by patrol boats with NPCs that won’t let you land peacefully.
How It Differs From Other Monuments
The main difference is that you can’t settle in here. First, the loot on these ships does not respawn, so whoever arrives first gets it. Second, you can’t stay long anyway because the Deep Sea zone has a timer that eventually forces you out. Third, unlike regular monuments that you can run to, fly to, or build near, everything here depends on your modular boat, fuel, and a safe place to park.
Where to Find Ghost Ships
Location
They appear only in the Deep Sea biome and spawn randomly across the ocean.
How to Enter Deep Sea
Access to Deep Sea opens at the edge of the map and stays active for three hours. You sail to the border on a modular boat, enter a storm, and get transferred into the biome.
Number on the Map and Random Spawns
One of the reasons Ghost Ships get so much attention is that you can’t memorize them the way you would something like Launch Site or any other standard monument. These ships spawn randomly in the ocean and function more like floating mini-events. Not only do they appear in different locations every time, but they also come in different layouts.
Ship Types
During testing, only four confirmed Ghost Ship variants were discovered. They are labeled A, B, C, and D.
I won’t go into full detail for each one, but it’s worth studying them before sailing into Deep Sea. Knowing where the bridge is, how long the deck is, where the choke points are, and where it’s easiest to board can make a big difference.
Their structure also changes the pace of clearing the ship. Some layouts allow you to quickly secure the deck and move inside, while others force you to play slow around corners and staircases.
And this is where things get interesting. The new scientists are no longer making the dumb mistakes NPCs used to make. They won’t stack in one doorway and stare at you. Instead, they’ll peek aggressively and pressure you from different angles. If you go there unprepared, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed.
Guards and Enemies
Ghost Ships are mainly guarded by blue scientists, but their behavior is noticeably different from what players are used to.
According to Facepunch, marine scientists can’t see through walls and rely on sound and recent contact. They can flank, throw smoke grenades, move as a group, and even set up ambushes instead of mindlessly rushing.
Because of that, clearing these ships isn’t easy anymore. It’s better to stay focused and approach the fight as if you’re facing real players rather than simple NPCs.
And the deck isn’t the only threat. Patrol boats also defend the ships and will try to stop you from boarding. Each boat carries a mounted machine gun and 5-6 scientists, which makes approaching the ship much more dangerous.
Loot
Besides regular and military crates, the ship also contains locked crates that need to be hacked.
From my experience, defending a crate for 15 minutes on a Ghost Ship is much harder than on Oil Rig, Cargo, or most other monuments. The reason is simple - the ship is relatively small, and there are usually a lot of players nearby, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
Even if you clear all the bots on the ship and destroy the nearby patrol boats, activating the crate usually spawns another 3-4 patrol boats with NPCs.
Overall, if you look at it loot-per-minute, these ships are very profitable - as long as your aim and game sense are solid.
Optimal Strategies
Solo
When playing solo, don’t get greedy. Your goal is to clear the ship or nearby island quickly, grab the best loot, and leave immediately.
Holding a Ghost Ship alone works maybe one time out of ten, so it’s usually better to take what’s worth the inventory slots and get out instead of risking everything.
2-4 Players
This biome - and Ghost Ships in particular - really shine in small teams.
The ideal group size is 2-4 players. With more people, it becomes harder to stay coordinated and approach quietly.
A typical role split might look like this:
One player pilots the boat and keeps position. Two players clear the deck and interior. The fourth player provides cover and watches incoming boats together with the pilot.
Recommended Gear
In practice, what really matters is weapons, ammo, and medical supplies.
Most fights happen in tight corridors or on the deck, where you can suddenly take fire from several NPCs at once. The new bots can throw smoke and flank, so things escalate quickly.
For weapons, something like a Thompson often feels comfortable because most PvP happens at close range. At the same time, bringing AKs is still important, since tougher fights can break out quickly.
Comparison With Other Loot Sources
Vs Oil Rig
Oil Rig offers consistency and familiar routes, while Ghost Ships feel more dynamic because they are part of the Deep Sea event with a different flow and competition.
The new marine scientist AI also makes firefights more engaging.
If you enjoy water-based gameplay, Ghost Ships can be more exciting and unpredictable. But in terms of pure reliability, Oil Rig still often comes out ahead.
Vs Cargo
Cargo is a classic. It tends to produce large-scale PvP fights, and the logistics are simpler since you can see its route.
Ghost Ships sometimes create a more controlled scenario for small teams, but hacking the locked crate can suddenly escalate things when patrol boats arrive.
Vs Tropical Islands
Tropical islands offer more relaxed farming, fewer forced fights, and focus more on resources rather than components.
Ghost Ships are the opposite - there’s almost always a fight, but you won’t get raw resources like sulfur or metal there.
If your goal is efficient farming with less risk, islands usually win. If you want valuable loot, components, and action, Ghost Ships are the better option.
Tips
The best time to clear Ghost Ships is when fewer players are in Deep Sea. It sounds obvious, but the zone is much safer when server population is low - for example, late at night.
Since nothing respawns in this area, you don’t get a second run, so arriving first matters a lot.
Keep your inventory under control. Many deaths happen not because players are weak, but because they hesitate while deciding what to keep and what to drop. It’s often better to stash loot in your boat and return to the ship, instead of sitting there sorting items for too long.
If you’re playing solo, avoiding PvP is completely fine. Try not to expose yourself on the deck, keep noise to a minimum, and leave if you hear boats approaching.
Conclusion
The Ghost Ship is one of the most intense and dynamic sea events introduced with the Naval Update.
If you want stability, stick to islands or familiar monuments. But if you’re looking for action and a chance to walk away with great loot in a single run, learning how to play around Ghost Ships is worth it.
And most importantly - remember that Deep Sea runs on a timer.
Follow the link to claim your rewards on CobaltLab!
