Yard flexibility wins repair work

Involved in the latest repair achievements at the Privinvest shipbuilding group were neighboring member yards Nobiskrug in Rendsburg on the Kiel Canal and sister Lindenau Schiffswerft in Kiel at the northeastern entrance to the waterway.

Now back in service after extensive repairs at Nobiskrug is the 26.5m long and 8.5m Wide Ocean and port tug Holtenau. It is one of six workboats serving in the Baltic, Kiel Fiord and Kiel Canal for regular customer the Schlepp- und Fährgesellschaft Kiel (SFK).

Holtenau underwent main deck steel repairs and the repair of a leak in its two SRP 503/505 Schottel rudder propellers.

Nobiskrug project manager Heiko Dorn said it had been planned originally to do the steel repairs afloat at Lindenau, but that the Schottel drive problems required drydocking. Because no dock was available at Lindenau, the job was transferred at the last minute to Rendsburg. That came with the agreement of another customer whose tug was undergoing maintenance at Nobiskrug at the time. Dorn said both repair projects were completed “without problem”.

A switch of a different kind involved the 175.5m long, 22,400gt German cruise liner Deutschland. The ship, sold to U.S. interests, berthed at Lindenau just before the completion of the Holtenau work in Rendsburg.

A statement indicated that Deutschland, well-known as the star of a German TV series called “The Dream Boat”, was staying to mid September. Remodelled and renamed World Odyssey it then enters service as a floating university for the U.S. Semester at Sea study programme.

Among jobs listed earlier were lifeboat inspection, remodelling and renaming. Spokeswoman Myriam Thoma-Hargens told Maritime Journal additional tasks included pipe work in the engine room and support for logistics activities such as incoming and outgoing consignments. She said the yard hoped other work would be added.

It was reported earlier that yards in Hamburg and Bremerhaven were also interested in winning the Deutschland contract. Asked why Lindenau won it, Repair Director Bernd Wittorf acknowledged the stiff competition but said several factors had clinched it for his yard.

Deutschland was built at the group’s third member yard – German Naval Yards (GNY), formerly HDW. Both GNY and Nobiskrug had not only been involved in its building but also in various conversions over the years. Another factor was the group’s flexibility in all repair work and its ability to field competent workers quickly – a big advantage for customers. Finally, the location of the group’s yards on the Kiel Canal and in the port had again proved advantageous, Wittorf told Maritime Journal.

By Tom Todd