Bergen to upgrade Norwegian Navy’s SS Statsraad Lehmkuhl ship

Bergen Group Services has secured a new contract to carry out the relevant maintenance and upgrade works on the Norwegian Navy’s training vessel, SS Statsraad Lehmkuhl.

The refit project will be carried out by the company in connection with the vessel’s ten-year classification process.

Bergen Group Services managing director Frode Johansson said: “Bergen Group Services has, for a number of years, gained strong expertise in the implementation of complex and demanding ship-technical maintenance projects.

“It is especially exciting for us to use this knowledge on the city’s sailboat pride. It is also satisfactory to record that the maritime environment in the hometown of the sailing ship is competitive on these types of projects.”

Bergen Group will conduct vessel maintenance and upgrade in the dry dock at Laksevåg in Bergen, Norway, under the arrangement.

The 103-year-old SS Statsraad Lehmkuhl is scheduled to be transported to the dry dock for maintenance work in December.

The vessel is one of the few three-masted bark-rigged ships currently in active operation, both as school ship and in several other capacities.

In addition to the current contract, Bergen Group Services signed another framework agreement with the Statsraad Lehmkuhl Foundation and owner of the sailing ship.

The deal comprises ship-technical maintenance related to an established maintenance plan.

The framework agreement will continue for five years, with an option for a further extension of two additional two-year periods.