Like sisters Red Falcon and Red Osprey , completed in early 2004 and Autumn 2004, RedEagle was being lengthened by 9.6m and widened by 2.8m.

Height was also being increased by 3m through the insertion of an additional car deck which will boost vehicle capacity from 142 to about 200. The conversions have increased vessel gt from 2881 to 3953 and deadweight from 680 to 771 tons.

Among German inland shipyards also reporting brisk trade in the small ship repair and conversion sector is the Kotter Shipyard on the River Ems in north Germany.

That facility has just completed the 6m lengthening of the 80m long inland cargo ship Kelaniya .The 85m inland tanker Allegro also called for class and aft steel work, the installation of new stern accommodation and conversion work in her engine room.

Yard MD Hermann Kotter, who appeared pleased with the latest flow of work, told MJ that another, 80m long inland tanker, Hildegard , had been converted.

A new 5m long and 9m wide midship section was inserted inside just three weeks, he said.

Along with the midship section, the yard also inserted a new iron floor in the now 1400dwt Hildegard .The work was similar to the earlier conversion of the inland vessel Barbara J for another shipowner. Inside six weeks, she got a new double-hulled midship section.