Delayed Research Ship Heads for Handover
Due for handover this month, nine months later than scheduled, is the new German polar research ship Maria S Merian , being described as the most modern ship of her type in Europe.
The 5,300gt vessel was launched in July by Kroeger Shipyard, part of Lurssen, for the German Ministry of Research and Education. After final inspection at Lindenau Werft and repair of one of its two Schottel pod drives, the vessel will be handed over to the Baltic Research Institute Warnemunde (IOW), to replace three de-commissioned research vessels.
Kroeger head Timm Grotheer was quoted as telling local media that penalty payments for the delay in delivery, partly the result of specification changes, had been agreed, but no details were reported.
Maria S Merian is 94.8m long, 19.2m wide and draws 6.5m.
The vessel was largely built in Poland, with the hull and deckhouse from Maritim in Gdansk. Outfitting took place at Naval Shipyard Gdynia. German spokesman Klaus von Brokel told MJ the Polish construction was ‘very good quality’. The ship was delivered to main contractor Kroeger for completion and handover.
The newbuilding cost ? 56.4m, three quarters of which came from the Government and the rest from the four German coastal Lander Schleswig Holstein, Hamburg, Bremen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Maria S Merian boasts state of the art scientific research facilities and IT backing which supports data processing and evaluation at sea. One special feature are two parallel vertical tunnels arranged amidships for lowering and raising research probes in more than 10,000m depths.
Apart from the twin diesel-electric propulsors, each of 2,100kW providing 15 knots according to the Poles, the ship has a 1,600kW Schottel Pump Jet at the bow, a 2 x 1,600kW electric system and two 1,200kW diesel gensets.
Also fitted are a 200kN stern A-frame, three 50kN electrohydraulic cranes and two auxiliary 15kN cranes.
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