The yard installed a 24m wide double hull midship section into the 86m long ship, increasing length to 110m. The insertion widened the vessel from 9.5 to 10.5 m, compensated for in a new bow section and modified stern. The work lasted six weeks and increased deadweight from 1,405 to 2,655 tons.

Also recently completed by Braun has been the lengthening by 4.24m of the push boat Joson. During that five week project accommodation was also expanded and additional fuel tanks installed.

Bow work also featured at Meidericher Schiffswerft in Duisburg which has completed its first inland ship repair for a French customer.

After his inland cargo ship Aconit sustained extensive bow damage in a collision, Seine-based owner Ludovic Bridiers had the 85m long, 9.5m wide vessel towed from Le Havre to Vlissingen, from where it sailed under its own steam up the Rhine for repair.

Bridiers, who is well known in Duisburg, faced long delays at home on the Seine. Aconit would have been out of action for months if local yards had done the work and the bow repairs would also have taken two months. Bridiers also said local inland yards were not experienced enough to handle such extensive steel repairs.

Meidericher Werft removed the damaged bow and fitted a new one weighing six tons in just three weeks. The performance earned praise from the French owner, along with a prediction that the achievement would not be long in attracting more work from the Seine.

By TOM TODD