As commercial vessels approach the end of operational life, businesses are confronted with a critical decision: replace it or extend its lifetime? This decision is particularly crucial given the substantial investments involved. Evaluating options requires a careful analysis of costs, efficiency and long-term benefits. Which path will you choose for a ship that has faithfully served your business, but also faces the end of its first operational life?
Ship conversion can offer significant advantages over newbuilds, by means of cost savings, faster turnaround times and sustainability. Nicky Mayenburg, Manager Ship Design at Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam, explains: “conversions can often be completed more swiftly and cost-effectively than newbuilds, as existing ships are modified rather than built from scratch. This could result in lower material costs and shorter construction times. Additionally, by reusing materials, we achieve circularity, minimizing the need for new resources”.
Ship conversion market
Empirical market research supports these benefits. The market for ship conversions is steadily growing, driven by the expansion of global maritime trade, fleet aging and technological advancements. The demand for ship conversions is increasing, particularly due to the need for cost-efficient solutions. With a track record spanning over 45 years, Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam offers tailored ship conversion services to transform or enlarge existing vessels.
“Every project starts with a deep understanding of operational needs. Marijn Zandee, Naval Architect, explains: “we work closely with our clients to ensure each vessel is not only functional but also meets their specific goals. It’s about striking the right balance between performance, cost-efficiency, reliability and safety. Whether we’re enhancing a ship’s capabilities, increasing its capacity or integrating emission-reduction technologies, every design decision is made with care and precision.”
Every ship conversion comes with its own set of technical challenges. Zandee points out: “modifying or upgrading an existing ship demands technical background knowledge of the existing design, as well as the expertise to adapt it within current regulations and client expectations. Each conversion involves thorough analysis to ensure the ship performs efficiently in its new configuration. One of the key challenges is navigating evolving regulations from classification societies and flag states. Major conversions often require compliance with the latest standards, which can lead to complex technical challenges.”
With over 150 ship conversion projects completed, Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam’s team has gained a lot of experience. The team worked on a variety of projects, from large-scale conversions to smaller modifications. The approach focuses on delivering cost-efficient solutions that meet the specific needs of each vessel.
Repurposing
Repurposing involves modifying a vessel to serve a completely different function than originally designed, by adapting them to new market demands. “We were closely involved in converting Boskalis’ transport vessel Fjell into the subsea rock installation vessel Seapiper, and the drilling vessel Bokalift 2 into a crane vessel”, Nicky Mayenburg explains. “The Seapiper conversion required significant structural modifications, including specialized equipment and cargo storage facilities, enabling subsea pipeline and cable protection, as well as rock installation around offshore platforms and wind turbine foundations. The Bokalift 2 conversion included enhancements for stability, increased deck load capacity and a high-capacity crane, making it suitable for offshore wind farm projects and expanding Boskalis’ capabilities in the renewables market.”
Upgrading capacity
In addition to complete conversions, upgrading vessel capacity by lengthening, is another type of ship conversion where we Vuyk had the privilege of assisting our clients over the past decades. And each client has different reasons for this. “Lengthening a vessel offers benefits such as increased capacity, cost-effectiveness or extended operational life. This was the case for various Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers (TSHD’s) and fishing trawler SCH6 Alida. All these conversions provided more cargo capacity and space to install new equipment – a growing need for the clients.”
Reducing emissions
Some conversions are specifically aimed at greening ships at the client’s request. By equipping existing ships with advanced exhaust treatment technologies, emissions can be reduced significantly. This includes applying exhaust treatment and filter technologies and recovering waste heat to improve efficiency. Additionally, we focus on the use of alternative fuels such as methanol, hydrogen or ammonia. By integrating these fuels into retrofit projects, we contribute to the reduction of harmful greenhouse gasses.
Why choose Vuyk Engineering?
Vuyk Engineering offers comprehensive design and engineering services for vessel refits and conversions. Our services cover the entire conversion process, from initial feasibility studies and yard tendering to on-site support and supervision during fabrication. With a track record spanning over 45 years, we offer a broad range of ship conversion services tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients. Whether it’s ground-breaking innovations or proven solutions, we deliver the highest possible results that align with regulatory standards and client wishes. Our ability to repurpose and upgrade vessels ensures that we can tackle any challenge, providing comprehensive and customized solutions that drive the industry forward.