Busy start to 2024 at Portugal’s West Sea Viana

Portugal’s West Sea Viana Shipyard has started 2024 the same way it ended 2023 – on a high. This continues the positive trend for this shipbuilder and repairer, situated in the northern port of Viana do Castelo, over the past two years.

At the beginning of 2024, the yard drydocked Belgian dredging giant Jan de Nul’s 4,400m³ capacity 2003-built TSHD Taccola. The vessel underwent structural work, repair of dredging equipment along with pipe renewal, steel renewal and overhaul of the dredger’s hopper bottom doors. Dredgers always have a high level of work to undertake during drydockings, due to their extensive workload put on them in regular service.

Also undergoing repair at the same time, as Taccola was Dutch owner Rederij Groen BV’s 2,060dwt 2013-built OSV Moonrise-G, in for scheduled repairs and Portuguese ship management company Steermar Lda’s 6,770dwt 1998-built cargo/container ship Laura S. This vessel is owned by Germany’s Jungerhans Reederei, Haren-Ems, and was in the yard for normal drydocking repairs.

In the coming weeks, West Sea Viana will receive two more vessels from Steermar Lda, the 1,577-TEU capacity 2008-built container ship Ferdinanda S and her 2009-built sister ship Raquel S. The latter will also be fitted with a ballast water treatment system (BWTS). Following the above work, the yard’s next project is the general repairs to German owner HS Schiffahrts GmbH’s 793-TEU capacity 2008-built container ship Henrike Schepers, and the 18,610dwt 2004-built chemical tanker Algoscotia, owned by Canada’s Algoma Central Corp., based in St. Catherines, Ontario.

In the last months of 2023, notable repairs carried out by West Sea Viana included the following:

• Hypatia De Alejandria – 28,658gt 2019-built RoPax ferry, owned by Spain’s Baleària. Ferry underwent general repairs and the installation of two exhaust gas scrubber systems
• Donata Schulte and Thalea Schulte – 8,573dwt 2013-built and 15,758dwt 20123-built LPG tankers, operated by Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (India) Pvt Ltd General repairs
• Insular – 3,395dwt 1998-built general cargo vessel, owned by Portugal’s S&C Lda
• Finita R – 3,335dwt general cargo ship, owned by Spain’s Naviera de Galicia
• Algocanada – 11,267dwt 2008-built chemical tanker, owned by Canada’s Algoma Central Corp., St Catherines, Ontario. Vessel underwent extensive general repairs and the installation of a Teramtech BWTS

The end of last year also saw this yard repair a number of river cruise vessels operated by local company Douro Azul Lda, on the Douro River. Meanwhile, the end of 2023 also saw a boost for West Sea Viana’s shipbuilding operations, securing a contract from the Portuguese Navy for the construction of six new ocean patrol vessels and a contract from Japan’s Ryobi Holdings for the construction of a luxury 10,000gt cruise vessel.