Blohm + Voss, based in Hamburg, Germany, cannot complain about not having enough work: the docks of the shipyard, that mainly focuses on yachts, cruises and ferries, and offshore, but also naval shipbuilding, are well filled.
The 133-metre long and 18-metre wide superyacht Al Mirqab is being refitted, undergoing several modifications inside the vessel, paint jobs and having the standard work done.
In dock 5, one of four frigates of the German Navy is docked. The yard expects the steelwork for all four to be done within the next five months.
On the other side of the yard facilities, Dutch JR Shipping’s OOCL Rauma is undergoing maintenance in dock 10 and a few hundred metres further, the roro ferry Berlin, owned by Scandlines, is moored.
This vessel, together with her sister vessel Copenhagen, was built at P+S shipyard in Stralsund, but during the build, a problem with stability and draft occurred. These problems were the reason that the P+S shipyard went bankrupt.
Scandlines contracted Blohm + Voss to improve the design and convert the ferries. According to Frank Berent of Blohm + Voss, the shipyard is very happy to have received the contract, as it secures one year of work for the repair department of the yard.
The current master piece moored in the yard is the cruise vessel Queen Elizabeth, operated by Cunard Line. The 294-metre long and 32-metre wide vessel was docked in Blohm + Voss’ famous dock Elbe 17, the third largest drydock in Germany, for maintenance on 15th May.
Between 1,000 to 1,200 people are working on the installation of additional power and a generator on the vessel, followed by classification work, repainting, overhaul of the Pod-system, renewing isolation of the cooling rooms, installation of a scrubber and refurbishment of the interior. The vessel is due for delivery on the 1st of June.
[mappress] Press Release, May 23, 2014