Tall ship: Despite the cost explosion: "Gorch Fock" continues to be renovated

It took three and a half years for the Navy's prominent sail training ship to get water under its keel again. With a renewed hull and tested by Bundeswehr experts for her buoyancy, she was undocked on Friday in the presence of Federal Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen after long negotiations with the Bredo shipyard.

The work, which was estimated to cost ten million euros in 2016, is now to be officially continued. It is now expected to cost 135 million euros, including seven million euros for the equipment. The tall ship should be seaworthy again by autumn 2020.

The Elsflether shipyard, which has been insolvent since February and in whose floating dock the hull of the "Gorch Fock" was refurbished, will continue to bear the main responsibility for the restoration. As reported by "Der Spiegel", the restoration work, which has been plagued by considerable crises, will from now on be closely monitored by the Federal Ministry of Defence in order to avoid further errors and rising costs.

The "Gorch Fock" moves to Berne

Shipbuilders will be carrying out additional work on the tall ship in the coming months before the masts can be erected in nine months' time. The "Gorch Fock" is also to be freed from her current grey-green protective garment and traditionally painted white again.

The Elsflether shipyard announced today that the upcoming refurbishment work will be carried out at the Fassmer shipyard in Berne. Accordingly, the "Gorch Fock" will leave her current berth in Bremerhaven tomorrow, Thursday, and is expected to arrive in Berne at around 7 pm.