Damen Vlissingen gives clipper a complete overhaul

JANUARY 22, 2013 — The three-masted, steel-hulled clipper Stad Amsterdam is currently getting a complete overhaul at Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen, the Netherlands.

The ship is jointly owned by the city of Amsterdam and human resources agency Randstad and has been used intensively since its commissioning almost thirteen years ago.

“The vessel sails without interruption 365 days a year over the oceans. Sea, sun, salt and wind have left their traces,” says Roland Berendsen, managing director of shipping company Clipper Stad Amsterdam. He says the ship is in at Damen Vlissingen for “one big, radical revamp giving the vessel a second youth. Hereafter she will sail again for ten to fifteen years.”

Thirteen years ago Damen was closely involved in the finishing of the Clipper, delivering the hull from its Oranjewerf shipyard in Amsterdam.

“That makes it especially nice that we were asked for this revamp,” says Bas Loohuis, Commercial Manager for Damen Shiprepair & Conversion.

Mr. 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,” he says.

At the moment the clipper is already at the yard and all interiors have been removed, including those of the accommodations. All technical equipment will get a complete overhaul or will be replaced if necessary. The standing rigging will be renewed.

Scope of Work
The removal of the clipper’s interior has already produced 175 ton of waste and 123 tons of ballast lead will also be taken off the ship also. Then the hull will be blasted and conserved. Some of the hull plating will be renewed.

In the next phase the clipper will be loaded on a barge, lifted out of the water and transferred to the shipyard’s production hall. Work in the hall will include the renewal of almost all pipes and wiring. The boarding of the superstructure will also be renewed. Originally the boarding was glued on the superstructure, but that has caused difficulty with maintenance. The new boarding will be remounted with some clearance between it and thr superstructure to provide adequate ventilation.

Only the steel lower portions of the three masts will stay in place during the renovation. The top masts and spars will be removed, maintained and replaced. All standing rigging wires will be renewed. The navigation bridge and chartroom have been redesigned and will be fitted wit the latest equipment. Below decks, the crew mess and office have also been redesigned as well. Extra storage is being created by redesigning two cabins.

“The planning for this job is a great challenge,” says Robin Juranek, Project Manager for Damen Shiprepair. “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 accommodations, we can call for our colleagues of the nearby super yacht yard Amels, also a member of the Damen Shipyards Group.”

Sea trials of the refurbished clipper are planned for mid May 2013. On June 1 the vessel is scheduled to set sail for Rouen, France.