Lloyd Werft to Repair One for Lindblad Expeditions

After clinching work on the cruise liners MS “Explorer” and MS “Mein Schiff 1” in April/May, the Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven has now signed a contract to repair the 112m long US cruise liner “National Geographic Explorer” for the U.S shipping company Lindblad Expeditions Inc.

Lloyd Werft to Repair One for Lindblad Expeditions

We are experiencing a heavy demand for our expertise in specialised shipbuilding while remaining top of the list when it comes to cruise ship repair and conversion“, says yard chairman Rüdiger Pallentin.

Just last April Lloyd Werft first repaired the specialised 6,471 GRT expedition cruise ship. “Lindblad is only a small shipping company, but it’s a good address when it comes to cruise shipping and I am very pleased indeed that we can follow up on the success of last year“, says Rüdiger Pallentin.

Even before the arrival of “Explorer” and “Mein Schiff 1” in April / May, “National Geographic Explorer” will kick-off the cruise ship “wet docking” season in the Kaiserhafen from April 14th to May 2nd. “Wet docking” means that instead of being dry-docked, the ship will undergo extensive repair and installation work while berthed alongside.

Topping the latest work docket for yard project engineer Carl Ratjen, who was also responsible for the “National Geographic Explorer” repairs carried out in 2013, is the replacement of air conditioning units and the renewal of some associated pipe work.

The work also includes the extensive installation of cold water equipment (chillers) in the air conditioning plant. Additional work includes the design, pre-manufacture and installation of a further boiler room, steelworks in both port and starboard ballast tanks and the elimination of cracks in the superstructures.

“National Geographic Explorer” will resume scheduled service with her shipping company in attractive niches of the cruise shipping market after her re-delivery by Lloyd Werft on May 4th.

Lindblad Expeditions Inc., based in Seattle in the U.S.A., bought the ship in 2007 as “Midnatsol” from Norwegian coastal ferry operator Hurtigruten. Built in Norway in 1982, she was then converted into a cruise ship with 81 cabins for 148 passengers and a crew of 84.

 

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March 12, 2014