Ship Conversion News

Vard Electro, a subsidiary of the Fincantieri-owned Vard Group, has signed an agreement with the German shipyard Lloyd Werft for the delivery of complete automation and power management systems to a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) currently being converted into a research vessel.The scope of supply covers the removal of the vessel’s existing automation systems, replacing it with Vard Electro’s advanced SeaQ Integrated Automation System (IAS) and SeaQ Power Management System (PMS)…

Synergy Marine Group, in partnership with Karpowership, has completed the conversion of a 125,000 m3 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier into a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), the Karadeniz LNGT Powership Americas.The vessel was delivered at Seatrium’s Admiralty Yard in Singapore, marking a significant milestone in accelerating LNG-to-power deployment.Synergy administered the conversion on a turnkey, one-stop basis, from managing design to engineering, procurement…

In the end of July, RoRo Stena Foreteller will return to service on the Europoort/Rotterdam – Immingham route following a major rebuild and renovation.The vessel has been fitted with a fourth vehicle deck on top of the existing three, increasing the number of lane meters from 3,000 to 4,000.With a new additional cargo deck and a 30% increase in capacity, the vessel becomes more efficient and further reduces CO₂ emissions per cargo unit.The vessel has also been equipped with a shore power connection system…

Seatrium has been awarded a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) conversion contract from Kinetics, an energy transition initiative by global floating power company Karpowership.This award follows Kinetics’ confirmation of the option for a fourth FSRU conversion project with Seatrium, announced in April 2024, the award of three LNG carrier (LNGC) conversions into FSRUs for the company, with an option for a fourth project.While Kinetics is on track to become one of the major owners of floating LNG assets globally…

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group Wärtsilä, has been contracted to supply a regasification module for Höegh Evi, which will be installed onboard the LNG carrier Hoegh Gandria to convert the vessel to a high-capacity floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).When converted, the Hoegh Gandria will be deployed in the port of Sumed, Egypt.It will supply the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company with up to 1,000 mmscf/day of peak LNG regasification capacity, making…

Fortescue’s Green Pioneer, billed as the world’s first ammonia dual-powered vessel, left Singapore in January of this year on voyage past the Cape of Good Hope en route initially to Southampton, both for Port State Control and to demonstrate the use of ammonia in its engines to the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), and then on to London’s Canary Wharf where is stayed through mid-April, before travelling to other north European ports.At the time when the IMO’s Marine Environment…

Singapore-based Seatrium has secured a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) conversion contract from Höegh Evi, formerly known as Höegh LNG, for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Hoegh Gandria.The contract covers the conversion and longevity of LNG carrier, Hoegh Gandria to a FSRU which includes the installation of a regasification skid, as well as integration of key supporting systems such as cargo handling, utility, offloading, electrical, and automation systems.Engineering…

Royal Caribbean has launched a video showing the newly amplified Allure of the Seas, which is setting sail in the Mediterranean in April 2025 after a $100 million transformation. New features include the Pesky Parrot tiki bar, resort-style pools and a 10-story dry slide.Pool Days – Resort-style pools are at the center of the action on the reimagined Caribbean pool deck, along with a wide variety of shaded seating and lounging options, such as swim-up lounge chairs and more. For a relaxing adults-only getaway…

Green Yard Kleven and the Brazilian shipowner Oceanica have signed a contract to convert the vessel Oceanicasub XVII from an Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessel to a ship capable of performing Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) operations.Oceanicasub XVII will be equipped with mezzanine decks for ROV equipment, extended crew capacity, and areas for charterers. At the same time, the ship will undergo a general upgrade and class re-approval.The UT712L anchor handler vessel was originally delivered from Green Yard Kleven as B313 back in 2007 under the name Rem Balder.

The container ship Maersk Halifax has been converted into a dual-fuel vessel able to operate on methanol. The industry-first retrofit for a large container ship was conducted at the Zhoushan Xinya Shipyard in China over 88 days with completion at the end of October 2024.Maersk Halifax, which is one of 11 vessels in Maersk’s Hong Kong-class, departed anchorage at the yard on 4 November 2024.The vessel has returned to operation and is now servicing our customers on the Trans-Pacific trade.The engine conversion was done by MAN Energy Solutions.

Green Yard Kleven has completed the conversion of an 80-meter walk-to-work vessel into a cable lay and repair services vessel for NTT, one of the largest telecommunications companies in Asia.The ship was originally built as an MT6007 seismic vessel but was later converted into a walk-to-work vessel for offshore wind.The Vega II is now under contract for cable work in Asian waters. It will replace the 40+ year old ship Vega and join the fleet of cable ships belonging to NTT that…

Fugro has completed the primary phase in its first vessel conversion to green methanol fuel.The Fugro Pioneer is ready to be equipped with methanol engines after successfully converting the main components on board.The now-completed vessel adjustments to the Fugro Pioneer allow two of its four original engines to be replaced by methanol engines, ensuring services can still be offered in regions where green methanol is not yet available. The delivery and installation of the methanol capable engines are expected in the second half of 2024.

Lloyd’s Register (LR), in collaboration with SDC Ship Design and Consult, has developed a new concept for the use of ballast water tanks in place of cofferdams around methanol tanks, allowing ship operators more space for methanol fuel technology.For retrofits of methanol technology on existing ships, the development is expected to enable shipowners to convert their vessels without a loss of valuable space, by removing the requirement for cofferdams around fuel tanks as required by MSC.1/Circ.1621.

Concordia Damen recently delivered a special project that involved the conversion of a Dutch barge into a Nigerian dredger. The trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Sayonara has now arrived and is at work on the Lagos Lagoon.Three years ago, the Werkendam shipyard came into contact with a Nigerian dredging company via Damen Shipyards Gorinchem. This eventually led to the start of the complex conversion project in December 2021. After extensive testing to ensure that the vessel…

Qtagg recently secured an order on a total upgrade of Silja Europa’s propulsion control system, a makeover designed to decrease the ship’s fuel consumption by 6% and CO2 emissions by 2096 tons yearly, according to the manufacturer. The overhaul includes engine speed governors, fuel rack actuators, pitch control and voyage optimization with EcoPilot.At 59,912 gt, Silja Europa is Tallink’s largest cruise vessel. Until the summer of 2022 it operated on the Baltic Sea, between Helsinki (Finland) – Tallinn (Estonia).

Tim Clerc’s maritime career spans half a century, starting with his cadet training in 1969 in the U.K. He sees hybrid technology as one of the most transformational technological developments in maritime in that span, and the company is currently awaiting its 10th hybrid, the Seacor Yangtze. Clerc discusses the hybrid strategy and offers some practical insights.If you had to pick one technology that you think has made the business of running ships more efficient, more cost effective…

Born in 1998 and celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023, Heger Dry Dock holds a unique position as one of the few engineering firms in the world dedicated to the design and lifecycle engineering of drydocks, primarily floating dry docks. Premal Shah, P.E., President and Principal Engineer, discussed some of the company’s recent contract wins with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News.Specializing in the design and lifecycle maintenance of floating dry docks, Heger Dry Docks was founded 25 years ago, and still run today by one of its co-founders, Bob Heger.

In the 45 years since the Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard (ASRY) opened on reclaimed land in Bahrain, the Middle East has become one of the world’s ship repair hotspots. A broad range of shipyards now service both regional and global markets.Regional yards have a ready market, with hundreds of offshore rigs working across the region together with the service ships that support them. Then there are thousands of tankers and gas carriers that arrive each year to load energy cargoes for far-flung destinations.

As the tanker market languishes and the containershipping sector drives full speed ahead, Concordia Maritime announced it has embarked on a technical design study on the feasibility of converting several of its tankers to container carriers.Concordia Maritime launched the study together with Stena Teknik and a German consulting company specializing in ship design. The aim is to investigate the feasibility of converting and adapting a P-MAX vessel for container transportation.

There is an old adage that states that a repair yard can economically build new ships, but a new construction yard should never touch ship repair jobs. In my experience there is a lot of truth to that statement, and it does not mean that new construction yards are run by less capable people; it simply means that ship construction and ship repair and conversion are fundamentally different business models. Ship construction uses a script, while ship repair and conversion is improvisation. I will not drive the theater comparison completely home, but it has some validity.

Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels are essential tools in the search for oil  in deeper waters, further from shore-based facilities. Typically, the large FPSO is stationary with a number of wells feeding oil into its holds. The oil can then be pumped off to shuttle tankers that transport it to shore side tanks and refineries.FPSOs are big expensive pieces of equipment. Some of them are converted from ocean going oil tankers. Such is the case with the 333 by 60-meter, very large crude carrier, VLCC Ariake, which was purchased for conversion to an FPSO.

From 3D laser scanning to Computational Fluid Dynamics, an efficient and successful major mid-life refit such as the one completed on the RV Roger Revelle requires intricate advance design planning, an updated technical toolbelt, as well as the personal touch. Tim Leach, Principal, Naval Architect (Glosten), walks us through the process.Tim Leach, Principal, Naval Architect, Glosten. Image courtesy GlostenWhat work was completed by Glosten on the RV Roger Revelle midlife refit?Glosten has a long history of working with Scripps (SIO) and the Revelle.