Northern Magnitude – a new record-breaker at Remontowa Shiprepair Yard

On Sunday morning, 20 November, the container ship Northern Magnitude left Remontowa Shiprepair Yard after completing emergency repairs, beating the earlier ship length record, previously set by another vessel undergoing repairs here, by a length overall.

This was the longest ship to have ever called at the Remontowa Shiprepair Yard SA and at the same time at the inner port in Gdansk. According to the documentation, it is 300.00 metres long and 40 metres wide. So far, the longest vessel overhauled at this Gdansk-based shipyard measured 299.00 metres.

Northern Magnitude‘s length also ‘leapfrogged’ this year’s previous ‘record-holder’ – the American car carrier Endurance, measuring ‘only’ 264.6 metres, overhauled here in February this year.

Due to terrain barriers, i.e. a high-voltage line suspended over the Martwa Wisła River at a height of 58 m (located in the Dworzec Drzewny quay strip), the container ship had to be ballasted before entering the port. This allowed the ship to reach an appropriate draft of 8.5 metres, allowing the tall superstructure to pass the power line wires hanging over the harbour channel at a safe distance, not exceeding 52 metres from the water’s surface.

After mooring at the Kołobrzeg Conquerors’ Quay, the ship was de-ballasted. In turn, before leaving the shipyard, the container ship again took in 15,000 cubic metres of water. The process of filling the ballast tanks took about 24 hours.

Increased attention on the part of the captains of the tugboats that brought the ship in and out of the shipyard traditionally required the passage through the Five Whistles Turn. Due to the parameters of the fairway at this point, it is necessary to change the ship’s course there by 110 degrees, with difficult visibility due to the built-up quays. Guiding such a long vessel, therefore, requires great precision.

– This was a so-called oversized vessel. Any movement of such a vessel must have special conditions, such as a certain number of tugs. Sometimes, with vessels of this size, the master’s office orders an additional – a fifth tug, over and above the port regulations. In this case there were four,” informs the Operations Department of WUŻ Port and Maritime Services Ltd.

– We have modern and strong tugboats, and the captains at their helm have the right skills and a wealth of experience, as vessels of this size enter the Northern Port of Gdansk every day. Here, more attention had to be paid because of the narrow body of water and the manoeuvrability of the so-called Five Whistles Turn, located at the mouth of the Dead Vistula towards the Bay of Gdańsk.

The name Zakręt Pięciu Gwizdków (Turn Of The Five Whistles) alludes to the sound signals given by ships as a warning to passing vessels.

Northern Magnitude was primarily affected by the repair of a rudder blade that had been damaged by cavitation. The work took place on the dock, without the need to dismantle this 114-tonne component. Nevertheless, it was a complex and time-consuming task. In addition, the rails and ventilation in two holds were replaced as part of the overhaul, and there was also a lot of work in the ballast and fuel tanks.

Northern Magnitude, it is worth noting, was also the longest ship docked at Remontowa Shiprepair Yard to date.

The container ship was built in 2003 by South Korean shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. to its standard Daewoo 6500 design.

The vessel belongs to the post-Panamax size class. It is 40m wide and holds containers on board in 16 rows (across the width of the ship). The container ship can carry a maximum of 6732 20-foot containers (TEUs). The gross capacity of the vessel is 75,590 units.

The ship, currently flying the flag of Portugal, belongs to the German shipowner Norddeutsche Vermogen Holding, which does not operate the ship itself as a container carrier, but makes it available to carriers for, usually long-term, charters. Past charterers of the container ship have included such well-known and reputable companies as Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co or Hapag-Lloyd AG, and more recently Hamburg Süd. For almost 11 years, from the end of 2004, the ship carried the charter name Bangkok Express.

The ship’s technical and operational management is handled by the global giant in this field, V Ships Group.