It is an almost impossible endeavor: The Peter Pan, a gigantic car ferry shall become - even bigger. It is lengthened from 190 to a mighty 220 metres! How do the engineers do that? They cut the ferry into two parts and insert a 30-meter-long section in the middle, which is prefabricated in another shipyard, 200 kilometers away. All this – in just 58 days.
Because time is a crucial issue here, sixty workers already start preparing the ferry for her lengthening during its final crossing to the shipyard: German Dry Docks in Bremerhaven. The responsible engineers are nervous: to fit all the restrictions of the shipping company TT-Line, they have to apply a very special cutting method, that has never been used before. And in fact: the first problems arise, when they try to pull the two halves of the ship apart – each of them weighing several thousand tons. Some steel beams have snagged.
But this is not the only problem the crew will have to deal with: they can only move the gigantic single pieces of the ship when the dock is flooded. Lose ends like the engine room therefore have to be sealed up watertight to save the sensitive technology. Will the welding seams hold? Will the mid section arrive on time in Bremerhaven? Will the three single pieces all fit together in the end? The first passengers are already booked on the new Peter Pan. A breathtaking race against time…
Because time is a crucial issue here, sixty workers already start preparing the ferry for her lengthening during its final crossing to the shipyard: German Dry Docks in Bremerhaven. The responsible engineers are nervous: to fit all the restrictions of the shipping company TT-Line, they have to apply a very special cutting method, that has never been used before. And in fact: the first problems arise, when they try to pull the two halves of the ship apart – each of them weighing several thousand tons. Some steel beams have snagged.
But this is not the only problem the crew will have to deal with: they can only move the gigantic single pieces of the ship when the dock is flooded. Lose ends like the engine room therefore have to be sealed up watertight to save the sensitive technology. Will the welding seams hold? Will the mid section arrive on time in Bremerhaven? Will the three single pieces all fit together in the end? The first passengers are already booked on the new Peter Pan. A breathtaking race against time…
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TVTranscript
00:00What does it take to cut a ship into two halves?
00:06To strip down and reassemble a giant plane?
00:11To overhaul the world's longest high-speed train?
00:15It takes hundreds of professionals, expertise, precision, and courage.
00:25It's never been done before.
00:27Pushing everyone to the limit.
00:30It is surely a challenging job.
00:32Now on Mega Pit Stops.
00:47The Peter Pan, a monstrous car ferry.
00:51Two football fields long and 35 meters high.
00:58The Swedish ferry can fit 540 cars and 744 passengers.
01:06But that's not enough anymore.
01:11Peter Pan needs to grow even larger.
01:14And increase its cargo capacity by 25%.
01:18What the engineers have in store for this Mega Pit Stop is prodigious.
01:23They will lengthen the Peter Pan from its current 190 meters to 220 meters.
01:30To do so, they will cut the ferry into two parts and insert a 30 meter long section.
01:38Lengthening the ship means changing its flow properties.
01:41Thus, the Peter Pan's bulbous bow has to be swapped out.
01:45And its engine overhauled.
01:48At the stern, an additional deck provides space for over 100 extra cars.
01:54For all this, the team only has 75 days.
01:59The Baltic Sea just off the coast of Germany.
02:04The Peter Pan is on the way to its Mega Pit Stop.
02:08Swedish captain Hans Windqvist has been in command of the ferry for two years.
02:13The purpose of his last voyage with the old Peter Pan is to arrive at the shipyard on time.
02:20There were a couple of questions from the shipyard.
02:25If we were on time or running late or…
02:29Even the agent and the shipping company were in touch.
02:33So, yes, I've had a couple of calls and some emails.
02:37Time is running short, even before the Mega Pit Stop begins.
02:4160 workers are on board during this final crossing to the shipyard to prepare the ship for its expansion.
02:55In a few days, the workers will cut the ship apart along these markings.
03:00The paint has to be removed along the cutting line beforehand from a surface totaling nearly one kilometer.
03:11While everyone works at full throttle below deck, the Peter Pan approaches its destination at full speed.
03:23German dry docks in Bremerhaven.
03:26The shipyard specializes in repairing and modifying ships.
03:31A team of 40 workers has been working for several weeks to prepare the 215 meter long dock for the arrival of the Peter Pan.
03:40Time for one last check.
03:46Project manager David Porath measures the dock blocks one more time.
03:51This is where the ship will rest during its Mega Pit Stop.
03:55He and his team have planned the car ferry lengthening for nearly a year.
03:59I also have to say, this is the very first ship expansion that I'm actually responsible for.
04:10I worked on one before, but I've never been in charge of one in that sense.
04:14I wouldn't say I'm nervous, but there's a certain amount of tension.
04:17The type of work we do here is challenging, for sure.
04:22David Porath carries the responsibility for the Mega project.
04:28The shipyard will only be able to meet the delivery deadline for the new Peter Pan if all the work goes according to schedule over the next two and a half months.
04:37That afternoon, the ferry arrives at its destination, on time.
04:48Tugboats maneuver the Steel Colossus into the shipyard.
04:52Maneuvering on its own in the narrow basin would be unthinkable.
04:56Captain Hans Winqvist pulls up to the pier for final preparations.
05:14By early evening, everything is ready for docking.
05:17The man responsible for the smooth operations during this process is dockmaster Frank Hurkst.
05:30He's been in charge of the dock for 25 years, but expanding the Peter Pan is an extraordinary challenge, even for him.
05:39This is a serious undertaking. It even has me nervous.
05:48Frank Hurkst floods the tanks of the floating dock, causing it to sink.
05:55The massive volume of 35 million liters of water rushes in.
06:00Frank Hurkst only has about two meters of leeway on either side of the ship during docking.
06:07After the expansion, the ferry will extend beyond the front and back of the dock.
06:16The front section will not be moved during the whole mega pit stop.
06:20Frank Hurkst has to position the ship precisely on the bracing.
06:25After an hour, the dock is slow enough.
06:27Yes, Hook's here. So the dock is almost where we want it. We have a depth of 6.2 meters. You can bring her in now.
06:47Hi. Hi.
06:48Hi. Everything okay?
06:49Yes, it's starting now.
06:50Captain Hans Vindqvist guides his old ship in one last time. A bit of nostalgia hangs in the air.
07:03It's a bit exciting to be growing by that much. And this is our last time driving the Peter Pan, so to speak.
07:14It's going to be rather difficult to take on such narrow passages as soon as we are 30 meters longer.
07:20Turning the Peter Pan in front of the dock, unthinkable. Hans Vindqvist has to bring it in backwards.
07:27I've got to get through here. I must look at the corner.
07:34Frank Hurkst is the captain's eyes. He tells him how much space there is left.
07:39One small mistake and the ship crashes into the dock walls.
07:46They did it. Hans Vindqvist did a pristine parking job.
07:50We are almost there. We just need to get it done now. This is perfect.
08:02You can stop now. We still have about 5 meters to go. We'll do the rest.
08:07The workers pull the ship to the designated final position using rope winches.
08:11That's fine. That's where the ship will be cut.
08:27The first hurdle has been overcome. Now the mega pit stop can begin.
08:33We're happy. The boat is parked and sitting on the blocks. It went well. And we did it quickly.
08:42We can be pleased with the results and call it a night soon.
08:46During the night, the workers pump the dock back up.
08:49Only now can we finally get a close look at the ferry's impressive dimensions.
08:59It's as heavy as 25 A380 airplanes and as high as a 20-story building.
09:07David Porath is already making the rounds again early in the morning.
09:11He's checking the preparations for cutting the ship apart.
09:14His team now severs hundreds of cables, lines and pipes along the cutting line.
09:21The ship can only be reassembled later if everyone works carefully now.
09:27Thus, they have only 5 days for this step.
09:35To save time, David Porath wants to already start cutting the first sections.
09:40All the necessary access work has been completed and we can start here now.
09:51The greatest challenge in the process? Guiding the complicated cut.
09:57The shipping company only wants to increase the cargo space.
10:01To leave the passenger area untouched, the ship engineers apply a very special cutting method.
10:07The Z-cut.
10:10First, there is a vertical cut from the bottom to a height of 19 meters.
10:15Followed by a horizontal cut of 35 meters.
10:19In between, after 17 meters, they cut along the funneled chimney wall.
10:25That's the only way to leave the whole passenger space in one piece.
10:28To maintain the structural integrity of the Steel Colossus for as long as possible, the team cuts from the inside out.
10:42They use a method which is known as autogenous flame cutting.
10:46A mixture of oxygen and acetylene gas heats the steel along the cutting line and then burns it at 1500 degrees Celsius.
11:03An important milestone has been reached. The project manager is satisfied.
11:07That's exactly the way it's supposed to be. We've started cutting the ship. That's good.
11:16The team has to slice along a line that is one kilometer long.
11:22Clock is ticking. From now on, they will work 24-7.
11:25In total, David Porrath's team needs five days.
11:36Then, they have done it. The huge ship is cut in half.
11:44There are just a few centimeters of space between the two parts of the ship now.
11:48The Z-cut leaves the passenger area freely suspended after removing the aft ship.
12:03Due to its heavy weight of 850 tons, it would collapse without additional support.
12:09Thus, a supporting system stabilizes the overhang so that the engineers can push the stern backwards.
12:14After 18 meters, they assemble four support towers to transfer the load step by step.
12:22In total, six support towers are stabilizing the Peter Pan's foreship to make room for the middle section.
12:36Moving the back half of the ship is a mammoth undertaking.
12:39It weighs 6,500 tons. This important step is his responsibility, Kai Heuer.
12:48He specializes in transporting heavy loads.
12:59Kai Heuer and his team push the 80 meter long aft ship away from the front half using a hydraulic sled system.
13:06While preparations are being made under the hole, project manager David Porrath checks the cutting line one last time.
13:17Pulling the halves of the Peter Pan apart will only work if his team has made a clean cut.
13:24Even though David didn't find any flaws, he is concerned.
13:27There are so many edges that we can't expect everything to go completely smoothly.
13:36There are going to be some sections that we'll have to cut through again.
13:40There is a risk of steel snagging along the lines of the cut.
13:45So the project manager only wants to move the aft ship a few centimeters to start with.
13:54Lastro to all teams, everything ready to move?
13:58Is Lastro ready too?
14:09Let's get started.
14:14The cylinders exert 210 tons of pressure to start moving the aft ship.
14:20Ten centimeters?
14:27Ten centimeters!
14:29Yes, I stopped.
14:31That was the first ten centimeters.
14:33Time for a check.
14:36In a worst case scenario, parts of the ship could bend out of shape if the massive steel walls get caught.
14:41This would make it impossible to reassemble the car ferry later.
14:49Can we start pushing?
14:52Can we start pushing?
14:53Can we start pushing?
14:54Yes?
14:57Good!
15:02Okay, good. We can start pushing now.
15:12Little by little, Kai Hoyer pushes the halves of the gigantic ship further apart.
15:20But then...
15:22Stop!
15:24The Joists are at risk of snagging.
15:28Stop below, please.
15:30Copy, stop.
15:32The workers have to go back to cutting.
15:35The ambitious schedule is in jeopardy.
15:37While David Porath's team tries to solve this problem,
15:42the midsection of the ferry is being made about 200 kilometers away,
15:48at a shipyard in Hamburg.
15:52Its dimensions, 30 by 30 meters.
15:55It will be inserted into the Peter Pan as a finished part.
16:01Engineer Simon Witek is responsible for the construction of the so-called mid-body.
16:08We still have to grind a little bit there, and these pores have to be removed.
16:19You have to check everything, every single welding seam,
16:24to see if there are any inclusions or pores left.
16:27In the worst-case scenario, water can permeate the sides.
16:31No one wants to think about these things, but that is what could happen in the worst case.
16:37The center section is made up of 22 prefabricated components.
16:44These sections can weigh up to 100 tons.
16:49Almost like they are building with Lego, the workers put together all the components until they form a complete section of the ship.
17:00To make sure it will fit into the Peter Pan later, the ends are produced with an extra 50 centimeters of safety margin on each side.
17:08It is almost like a baby. You watch it grow, but I also look forward to the moment when everything comes together.
17:19I ask myself if everything will fit, but I am proud to just be a part of it.
17:24There is still a lot to do, and things are tight here too.
17:31According to the timetable, the engineers will already be installing the midsection into the Peter Pan in seven days.
17:38Back in Bremerhaven. This is where space for the midsection is being made.
17:49But there are problems. Several steel beams have snagged.
17:53Now the workers have to cut again. Precious time is being lost. Kai Hoyer tries to stay calm.
18:00When there are this many unknown rough edges, you just have to be a little patient.
18:07That is just the nature of it. We are happy that it can be solved like this.
18:12At this point, Hoyer's team has only moved the aft ship back by two meters.
18:20They have been playing the waiting game for hours. But then…
18:24Go for it. We are ready.
18:30Alright, we are going to start.
18:33Time for the next attempt.
18:35Now they will see if the team took care of all the problem areas.
18:39Or if Kai Hoyer will have to call another sudden stop.
18:51Finally, it's working. Kai Hoyer pushes the 6,500-ton section of ship back further and further.
19:00An hour later, they've tackled the first 10 meters.
19:11Wonderful! We did it!
19:13The aft ship of the Peter Pan has finally been properly separated from the foreship.
19:18Project manager David Porrath's team lost half a day. But he is happy anyway.
19:38We had a couple of snags here and there, but we are able to solve them relatively quick and easy.
19:46It went well, as you can see.
19:51Anyway, we are happy that we have this milestone behind us now.
19:55We are happy that we have this milestone behind us now.
19:59That's it, yes. We are happy.
20:02We are happy.
20:04David Porrath is one step closer to his goal of expanding the Peter Pan.
20:08Over the next few days, bit by bit, his team slides the aft ship back another 18 meters.
20:17And they set up the supports for the overhang.
20:19When they are done, there is a gaping hole around 30 meters wide between the ship's two halves.
20:32Three weeks after the mega pit stop began, the most critical step of the project begins.
20:38Inserting the midsection into the car ferry.
20:41To do so, the lower parts of the cut surfaces must be sealed up watertight before the dock is flooded.
20:52To protect the sensitive technology of the engine rooms behind the panels and prevent the ship from sinking.
20:59Tugboats pull the aft ship away to make room for the prefabricated midbody.
21:05The engineers have to align it precisely to the foreship.
21:08Otherwise, it is impossible to connect the two parts.
21:13Then, tugboats bring the aft ship back in again.
21:20Day 29 of the mega pit stop.
21:23Today, the aft ship is scheduled to be undocked.
21:26David Porrath and his colleagues developed a special system for this.
21:31Giant flotation units are designed to ensure that the rear half of the ship sits steadily on the water.
21:38It is quite an adventure.
21:44This has never been done before.
21:46But the company that manufactures these sacks has been making things like this for a while.
21:52So, it should work out just fine.
21:55The hull becomes narrower towards the back.
21:59This means that the ship has less supporting surface in that section and would tip without support.
22:06Each of the eight air sacks has 103 tons of buoyant force.
22:11In total, the system has 1100 tons of buoyant force, sufficient according to calculations.
22:21But that is not the only risk factor.
22:23Huge steel panels are supposed to make sure the engine rooms remain sealed.
22:34These welding seams have to hold.
22:37Otherwise, the sensitive technology behind the panels is in jeopardy.
22:41Water in the engine room would be a catastrophe.
22:44While the team at Bremerhaven prepares to float out the aft ship,
22:56the midsection for the new Peter Pan is ready for its journey from Hamburg to Bremerhaven.
23:04Two tugboats haul the 1500-ton part of the ship over the river Elbe and the North Sea.
23:19It travels a total of 220 kilometers by sea.
23:26Its scheduled arrival at its destination is already the next day.
23:34In Bremerhaven, the aft ship still needs to be taken out of the dock.
23:39We are all a bit tense to see whether all the theory will correspond into practice.
23:45But we are happy that it is finally starting to happen.
23:51The job is already two days behind schedule.
23:54It is extremely important for David Porath and his team that now everything goes smoothly.
24:00The responsibility for this task is again in the hands of dockmaster Frank Herkst.
24:09Werner, please start lowering the dock.
24:13Yeah, okay. If you have the okay, I'll get started now.
24:18In order for the aft ship to float, Frank Herkst and his team now slowly lower the floating dock to a water depth of five meters.
24:26Initially, everything goes according to plan.
24:32After half an hour, the two meter mark has been reached.
24:36But something doesn't seem right.
24:41Hold on, Frank.
24:43Frank Delassé.
24:45Frank, please go back up to one meter.
24:46Okay, back up to one meter.
24:48Okay, back up to one meter.
24:52We'll go back up to one meter.
24:53Maybe a screw connection.
24:55There is a problem in the engine room.
24:59Air was coming through.
25:11And where air can get through, water will come through at some point.
25:16That's why we stopped.
25:19Now we're quickly putting in a weld seam.
25:23A weld seam in the temporary wall isn't watertight.
25:30And not just there.
25:32David Porath's colleagues discovered another leak.
25:37It's like an emergency room.
25:38It's like an emergency room.
25:39Yeah.
25:40Yes.
25:41Exactly.
25:43The leaks are still tiny.
25:45The problem, the water pressure from the outside could quickly change that.
25:50At the very worst, the aft ship will run full of water and sink.
25:54David Porath makes sure the weld seams are reinforced in the critical places.
26:10Frank, then please go back to two meters.
26:13Confirmed.
26:15Two meters.
26:18And I'll head over there.
26:25Centimeter by centimeter, Frank Herx lowers the dock back down.
26:30In the meantime, workers check all the critical points on the ship.
26:37At a water depth of five meters, the aft ship lifts off the dock blocks and begins to float.
26:44It's only then that the team can finally be sure if the welding seams hold.
26:50Or not.
26:54After three hours, only 80 centimeters are left until they reach the critical mark.
27:11David, to Lasse.
27:13David, go ahead.
27:14We have to weld here again.
27:16Okay.
27:17Yeah.
27:21Water's really coming in.
27:24We actually wanted to do this in daylight.
27:29But I think that's not gonna happen.
27:33One of the repaired spots still has a leak.
27:37David Porath has the seams doubled on the bulkheads.
27:41If they continue to leak, they may have to abort.
27:44And the shipyard will lose another valuable day.
27:47We've got to get it out today so we can put the next piece in tomorrow.
27:56The seam is now double reinforced.
28:00Frank Herx continues lowering the dock, very slowly.
28:03Very slowly.
28:04So much is riding on this moment for the whole team.
28:08David Porath checks the critical spots once again.
28:17And then…
28:18Everything's fine.
28:19Everything's watertight here.
28:20Yes, I'm happy that it's fixed.
28:22David Porath can breathe easy for a moment.
28:24But there is still another risk factor.
28:25The giant flotation system at the back.
28:26It is supposed to keep the 80-90s in the back.
28:27It is supposed to keep the 80-90s in the back.
28:28It is supposed to keep the 80-meter-long aft ship in a steady floating position.
28:32Let's hope everyone can keep the space in the back.
28:33Let's hope everyone can keep the back in the back.
28:34Let's hope everybody can keep the ship in the back.
28:35Let's hope everybody can keep the 40-90s in the back.
28:36Let's hope everyone can keep the 70-90s in the back.
28:37David Porath can breathe easy for a moment.
28:43But there is still another risk factor.
28:46The giant flotation system at the back.
28:50It is supposed to keep the 80-m long aft ship in a steady floating position.
28:57let's hope everything in the back will float right i mean someone did all the math on this
29:06i just hope that it stays level frank herx can't do much more than hope now they will only be able
29:18to know if the system works or doesn't work if the aft ship is finally afloat we're about to really
29:26start floating wholeheart come in mr hoax go ahead the stern is floating haul in the slack in front
29:37keep going with most spills on the south side they did it the aft ship is afloat just like the math
29:44said it would be but there's no time to celebrate success just yet there's no turning back now
29:57yes it's always kind of nerve-wracking it's just nerve-wracking first frank hurst and his team
30:04move the aft ship a few meters out of the dock using rope winches because the tugboat's draft
30:11is too deep to enter the dock attaching the tugboat requires full concentration if it comes too close
30:21to the stern its propeller could rip open the floating system's air sacs
30:36but everything is running smoothly now the tugboats pulled the aft ship a few hundred meters further
30:44down the pier it will remain there for the time being according to the timetable it will be back
30:52in the dock in two weeks everything's fine we'll fasten it now and then go home yeah yes that's what
31:01will do the whole team breathes a sigh of relief super great we got the thing out everything worked
31:15out pretty well that's good i'm satisfied the team has overcome an important hurdle in the mega pit stop
31:31the next step docking the midsection and connecting it to the four ship
31:38day 30 of the ship expansion the workers prepare to dock the midsection they're about halfway through
31:46the time they've been given to deliver to the shipping company
31:49the peter pan has a long way to go before it's actually finished
31:59the team is three days behind schedule but they can't let that distract them they're going to need
32:05to give all the concentration they can muster into the docking process
32:13we're about to start we have to approach from 30 meters beneath the ship which means we can't come in
32:18crooked by even half a meter on the other side it has to be positioned extremely carefully
32:34two tugboats maneuver the steel colossus to the edge of the dock but the tugboat at the front can't drive
32:41into it the mid body is now floating without being guided it is only being pushed by the second tugboat
32:54five meters are in count down the last 10 meters okay will do i'm heading to the back
33:01the team stabilizes the midsection with ropes that's how they keep it from crashing against the dark wall
33:08it's going well sometimes it's also good that some things go smoothly
33:16meter by meter the dockmaster and his team move the midsection up to the first braces
33:30they've done it the steel colossus is safely in the dock
33:34the next step aligning the mid body with the foreship with millimeter precision even the tiniest deviation
33:43in one direction will make it impossible to connect both ship sections
33:51one man is responsible for the precise alignment of both sections of the ship
33:56surveyor jan munkholm as the danish member of the team he is considered an eminent authority in his field
34:04and has even worked for nasa even though both parts weigh thousands of tons now it comes down to
34:11millimeters which one do you want to have it it's too high now what is the section okay so we need to move
34:23the front to the side load the midsection is crooked
34:29to make it level workers place weights on the top deck
34:36how much 60 that's fine tim we read 60 here
34:44after about three hours not only yan mokholm is happy
34:47we aligned them within one or two millimeters and now i'm happy
35:01the next step pumping the dock up and pushing the midsection meter by meter towards the foreship
35:15and then it's the welder's turn in total four kilometers of weld seam will be needed to connect
35:26both sections
35:30two weeks later the old foreship and the new midbody have been joined to create a 140 meter long section of
35:37the ship
35:43now david porath's team can bring the aft ship back into the dock and connect it
35:53the following morning brings a heavy fog
35:58visibility is under 30 meters
36:01this is catastrophic for the team
36:07for the docking process the weather conditions have to be perfect otherwise it is just too risky
36:17but the shipyard can't afford to lose another day
36:20in six weeks the peter pan should go into service again for the shipping company
36:25we need visibility of at least 100 to 150 meters and we don't have that
36:36but we don't have any wind which is good now we have to decide what to do
36:42the responsible port pilot has to make the final decision
36:48we hope he'll do it
36:55you have to be able to see the tugboats in the dock when i look over there i don't even see the dock
37:01anymore
37:05the pilot gets a feel for the situation from the deck of the ship
37:12visibility is close to zero parking the steel giant with millimeter precision in these conditions
37:19is practically impossible
37:25one more time dock master frank hirst goes through all the eventualities with him
37:33we're going to start now
37:38we're moving now good
37:41despite the bad weather the team is now attempting to dock the 80 meter long aft ship
37:47everyone's nerves are on edge throw it in
37:54throw it in the water
37:58take it away
38:00the maneuver once again requires the utmost concentration
38:05once it gets going the six thousand five hundred ton steel giant isn't easy to stop
38:11if the poor visibility causes the pilot to overestimate the distance the aft ship could slam against the dock
38:25the tugboat at the front once again drives off before it reaches the dock
38:29now the team has to get the steel giant under control as quickly as possible with their ropes
38:35so careful here go over there
38:42yes
38:48we'll go straight for the long ones
38:50things are getting close on one side really close
39:04the back has to move a little more now we have it good oh the sensors christian pull a little harder
39:19a quick moment of shock but then the dock team has the floating part of the ship back under control
39:38keep pulling it through now we're winning
39:52the back of the ship is in the dock meter by meter the team now uses rope winches to pull it towards the front section
40:00that was really something you don't see every day they did it 44 days after the mega pit stop began
40:15all parts of the peter pan are finally in the dock
40:19now you can say we've got the band back together we've got a lot of work done but we still have
40:30a great deal ahead of us the fall and snow david porrath's team now has to reconnect the individual
40:37pieces to make a functioning ship again and there are only four weeks left before scheduled delivery to
40:43the shipping company the 40 welders have a mere seven days to connect the aft ship to the front section
40:51of the ship this task requires them to weld four kilometers of seams
41:06all parts of the ship need to be permanently welded back together
41:09before the electricians can begin their work 120 kilometers of new cable have to be laid and connected
41:23the engineers also replace the peter pans bulbous bowel
41:27and give both of the peter pans drives a good general overall
41:31the ferries performance needs to remain the same
41:41specialists overhaul the two huge pod drives before fine-tuning them
41:47just one of these drives alone can deliver 11 megawatts of power
41:51meanwhile at the front of the ship another team inserts a new bulbous bow it minimizes resistance
42:05and fuel consumption by slicing through the water in front of the ferry after all the plan is that the
42:11peter pan won't guzzle any more heavy fuel than it did in the past even with its new expansion
42:17a team of painters make sure to cover up the seams welded just a few days ago
42:28david porath and his team of several hundred people
42:31work around the clock and yet they are still only able to deliver two weeks after the planned deadline
42:37it's even more important that they don't discover any problems during the upcoming leak test
42:51the suspense is building the ship is set to return to the water for the first time in weeks
42:58we are checking for leaks and making sure all valves and welding seams are closed and sealed
43:03we're about to start slowly letting water in we're about to start slowly letting water in
43:09the team is tense the peter pan was originally supposed to be back in service two weeks ago
43:15on the ship david porath divides everyone into teams for the inspection
43:25we're checking all the tanks making sure that all the valves are sealed
43:28that ships was pacin canister there will be nothing worse than finding water leaks in
43:34will the welding seams hold
43:44we're letting water in now we'll set the ship down to a depth of one meter
43:48and then we'll check everything safety first
43:52if water penetrates the hole frank hurst can quickly pump the dock back up
43:58the dock is at the right depth time for the inspection to get underway
44:12an old acquaintance joins david porath to climb through the tanks
44:16captain hans winquist he is keen to see for himself whether everything is sealed
44:22the most critical area is the center section
44:25this is where the ballast water tanks are located they are there to balance out any uneven loads
44:33empty cells also keep the ship buoyant
44:39nothing's here everything's dry
44:44everything looks good to begin with
44:45but then
44:57now we're in the ballast water tank
45:04we've water here
45:07a nasty surprise
45:10this could delay the ship's delivery by several more weeks
45:14the team has to find out where the water is coming from as quickly as possible
45:25the sections in this area were put under pressure
45:28and what we see here is basically just leftovers from that
45:32i wouldn't say this was a water leak at the moment but we have to ensure that we don't come to wrong
45:38conclusions and that water starts leaking in places where we are no longer able to repair when the ship is afloat
45:51all clear the test can continue now frank hurst lowers the dock to a depth of four meters
45:58this increases the water pressure on the ship's hull
46:02and thus also strain on the welding seams
46:05the team once again meticulously checks every corner of the peter pan's hole
46:12the inspection lasts nearly an hour
46:23everything's fine everything's dry
46:28the welding seams are holding
46:34we still have a little bit to do but we're on the right track and in a few days we can return to regular service
46:42the inspection team didn't find anything in the other parts of the ship either
46:46this is just what we expected today everything is prepared properly
46:59the team needs five days for additional system tests then it's ready
47:04the brand new peter pan is finished polished painted and an astounding 30 meters longer than before
47:15it emerges in all its glory 1 000 workers spent 400 000 hours on this mega pit stop and welded over
47:26four kilometers of seams in the process the ferry now has space for over 100 extra cars
47:34you can't really see the seams anymore yeah the only people who will notice that we added a
47:49new section are the people who spent the past few months working on it it took a
47:55lot of hard work but we are delighted with the result 14 weeks after it went in for the mega pit stop
48:05the peter pan is finally on its way to its home port travamunda on the baltic sea
48:11in just a few days time the now 220 meter long car ferry will start transporting passengers and vehicles
48:20to sweden again as part of its regular service