The three-masted, steel-hulled Clipper ‘Stad Amsterdam’ undergoes a complete overhaul at Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen, the Netherlands.
The revision of the 13-year-old vessel will give her a ‘second youth’. The work will be finished before the end of May 2013.
At the moment the Clipper is already at the yard and all interiors have been removed, including the boarding of the accommodation. All technical equipment will get a complete overhaul or will be replaced if necessary. Also the standing rigging of the Clipper will be renewed.
The Clipper Stad Amsterdam, jointly owned by the city of Amsterdam and HR agency Randstad, has been used extremely intensive since her commissioning almost thirteen years ago, explains Roland Berendsen, managing director of shipping company Clipper Stad Amsterdam. “The vessel sails without interruption 365 days a year over the oceans. Sea, sun, salt and wind have left their traces. Next to an annual regular maintenance period, we’ve chosen one big, radical revamp giving the vessel a second youth. Hereafter she sails again for ten to fifteen years.’’
Thirteen years ago Damen was closely involved in the finishing of the Clipper, delivering the hull at its yard Oranjewerf in Amsterdam. “That makes it especially nice that we were asked for this revamp,” says Bas Loohuis, Commercial Manager for Damen Shiprepair & Conversion.
Berendsen praises the cooperation with Damen. ,,We’re just a small shipping company with only one vessel and thus a very small staff. Thanks to the cooperation of the yard we only need limited extra expertise for this job.’’
Scope of Work
The removal of the Clipper’s interior has already resulted in 175 ton of waste. The 123 ton of ballast lead will be taken off the ship also. Then the hull of the Stad Amsterdam is blasted en conserved. Also some of the hull sheets will be renewed.
In the next phase the Clipper is loaded on a barge, lifted out of the water and is placed in the well-equipped production hall. There the reconstruction will start, including the renewal of almost all pipes and wiring. At the same time the boarding of the superstructure will be renewed. Originally the boarding were glued on the superstructure, but that has caused difficulty with maintenance. The new boarding will be mounted with some clearance onto the superstructure for proper ventilation.
During the revamp only the three steel lower masts will stay in place. The top masts and spars will be removed, maintained and replaced. All standing rigging wires will be renewed. The navigation bridge and Chartroom is redesigned and gets the latest equipment. Below deck crew mess and office are redesigned as well. Extra storage will be created by redesigning two cabins.
Robin Juranek, Project Manager for Damen Shiprepair adds: “The planning for this job is a great challenge. The ship will move over our yard. That requires a strict alignment of all involved. For those jobs which we’re not used to, for instant the finishing of the accommodation, we can call for our colleagues of the nearby super yacht yard Amels, also a member of the Damen Shipyards Group.’’
The renewed Clipper Stad Amsterdam will make sea trials mid May 2013, according to planning. On June 1st the vessel will set sail for Rouen, France.