BUCHAREST (Romania), July 17 (SeeNews) – Romania's Lower Danube River Administration Galati (AFDJ) and Damen Shipyards Mangalia have signed a 49 million lei ($11.6 million/10.3 million euro) deal to upgrade the country's largest icebreaker tugboat, the economy ministry said on Wednesday.
Upgrading and refurbishment on the 6,600 horsepower icebreaker Perseus will take 24 months to complete, the ministry said in a press release.
"This type of successful partnership between the Romanian state and the private business is aimed at ensuring the domestic shipbuilding capacity and is a great plus for the entire Romanian industry and economy. Perseus is one of the most important Romanian vessels and a vital element in ensuring efficient transport on the Danube," economy minister Niculae Badalau, commented.
The modernisation process will focus on replacing the main engines with new generation engines as well as replacing command systems and the radio navigation equipment. The overhaul will reduce the ship's operating costs and the amount of air pollutants it releases and will allow the vessel to maintain its operational qualities for the next 20 years.
The Perseus was built from 1987 to 1989 and was commissioned in 1990. It was built to be used to rescue and tow damaged or failed ships, breaking the ice on the Danube's from Sulina to Braila.
Damen Shipyards Mangalia is jointly owned by the Romanian state and Dutch shipbuilding group Damen.
(1 euro=4.7345 lei)