Kiel boats end yard visits

Two boats, both with chequered backgrounds, have gone into service with operators in the north German port city of Kiel.

The 81-year-old excursion and museum ship Stadt Kiel, described as a "technical monument” to local shipbuilding, has gone back into operation after a month-long overhaul at Kroeger Werft in Rendsburg on the nearby Kiel Canal. It was certified for a further five years by DNV-GL.

Looking after the veteran cargo/passenger transport ship is a local voluntary group created in 1982. The group restored the ship between 1986 and 1990 after it was saved from the scrapyard and donated by local company Marine Motor Service MMM. That firm continues to be associated with the ship and Captain Werner von Unruh, who sailed on the Stadt Kiel as a young seaman, told Maritime Journal MMM had also paid for the technical work during the latest yard overhaul

The 28.13m long and 7.3m wide Stadt Kiel was built in 1934 at the former Germania-Werft in the city. It draws 2.4m at the bow and 2.85 m at the stern and carries up to 120 passengers. Originally with a Krupp engine, it has been driven since 1954 by an 8-cylinder, four stroke Type MaK Mau 423 Diesel of 375 r/min and 520hp providing a top speed of 11.5 knots.

Another small specialist, the Kiel tug Stein, is now also, finally, in service in the German port after a conversion lasting 15 months.

The 27m long and 9.7m wide Stein is one of four tugs with Kiel-based tug and ferry concern SFK. Built in Spain more than a decade earlier, it was bought by SFK in 2013 in the port of Barcelona and brought back to Germany.

SFK Fleet Manager Ansgar Stalder told Maritime Journal it was evident from the start the boat would need considerable conversion to international standards, but that the acquisition was worth it because the cost of the capable Schottel tractor unit was “significantly lower than that of a newbuilding" - even after conversion. However the purchase and conversion costs for Stein were not revealed.

Main conversion was carried out at Kiel’s Lindenau Schiffswerft. Ansgar Stalder said the work scope had to be constantly extended, delaying completion “by many months". Lindenau last year also repaired the 28.5bp SFK tug Holtenau which Stein is replacing.

Stein, which draws 5.3m max and has a bollard pull of 46.4 t, is of 269 GT and is powered by two Rolls-Royce Diesels of 1,325kW apiece driving two Schottel units and providing a free speed of 10.5 knots.

Reports said the tug’s bridge, accomodation areas, electronics and marine technology all had to be adapted to German regulations and toilet and heating facilities installed.