She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 12 June 1917 as SM UB-54.

[nb 1] The submarine conducted 6 patrols and sank 14 ships during the war for a total loss of 7,200 gross register tons (GRT).

UB-54 was apparently sunk on 11 March 1918 at 53°15′N 0°45′E / 53.250°N 0.750°E / 53.250; 0.750 by British destroyers HMS Sturgeon, Thruster, and Retriever using depth charges, all hands were lost.

Egon von Werner.Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-54 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun.

UB-54 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi).