The 16 knot Lysvik was the last of three paper carriers belonging to DFDS Lys Line Rederi in Norway which have been lengthened by 27.1m from 101m to 128.1m. Sister ships Lysbris and Lysblink have already undergone similar conversion. All three were built in India between 1998 and 2000 and carry paper between Norway and Germany.

Nauta's M Benagdi told Maritime Journal steel structures had been strengthened by the insertion of 150 tons of new steel into each of the three ships.

Hulls were smoothed, CO2 rooms were upgraded to meet the demands of new regulations, cables and pipes were lengthened and the vessels were blasted and painted, he reported.

The result was a 50% increase in cargo capacity. Deadweights were increased from 5,350 to 7,500dwt, loading capacities from 7,352 to 11,271m 3, deck capacities from 2,746 to 4,070m 2and container capacities from 112 to 160 TEUs.

Nauta has now carried out seven lengthening projects for DFDS Lys Lines. Its co-operation began in 1994 when Lysholmen was lengthened from 78.5 to 94.7m. In 1999 the Poles lengthened three of the owner's Yugoslav-build cargo ships.

As Lysvik left Nauta, another Norwegian ship, the 25-year-old, 6,643grt Ro-Ro cargo vessel Gute , belonging to Swedish owner Rederi Gotland, arrived for similar lengthening.

That 118.5m long vessel was being converted alongside yet another vessel, the Norwegian owned Eidsaag , which was being returned to her owners late April after completion of lengthening.