Kiel shipyard wins AHTS conversion contract
GNYK will convert the 91m-long AHTS ships Siem Garnet (pictured) and Siem Diamond (Source: Alan Jamieson)
German Naval Yards Kiel GmbH (GNYK) has won a contract from Le Havre-based Les Abeilles International to convert two anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) ships into powerful salvage tugs. The two 91m-long vessels, Siem Diamond and Siem Garnet, both built in 2010, were expected to arrive in Kiel last week.
The conversions, which will take about six months, will result in two multifunction vessels capable of providing emergency towage, salvage, and medical facilities for the French Navy. The ships have a speed of more than 17 knots from hybrid propulsion systems. They are due to be reommissioned during the second quarter of 2022.
CEO of the German shipyard, Jörg Herwig, observed: “Conversion instead of new construction – this approach will become increasingly important ... in terms of a maritime circular economy. We are observing in the civil business that more and more clients are asking for conversions rather than newbuildings. As an international shipyard group, to which also belongs the French naval shipyard CMN in Cherbourg, we are proud to have won such a demanding project in this international competition.”
Samira Draoua, president of Les Abeilles International, said: “The transformation project is a real industrial challenge. Among the many high-quality offers we received, our choice was GNYK whose industrial capacities, guarantees in terms of deadlines and quality, as well as environmental commitments, were preponderant.”
