Cecilie is a former German sailing cargo vessel, built in 1921 by Germaniawerft, Kiel, and currently berthed at SRF Shipbuilding in Holland. The plan is to bring her back to life as a working ship.
As project leader James Smith says:
“At the moment she is still at least a couple years away from being seaworthy again. Currently myself and a naval architect are working on a 3D model. The first scheme of work has also begun in Holland.
My aim is to get her in class as a cargo vessel. To this end a significant proportion of the steel on her underside will need replacing and there will also be some major structural work to do. We just don’t know yet so there is quite a lot of uncertainty. We’ll find a way given time, however. Once the steel work is done I will have her towed back to Gloucester and will lay the deck. I’m looking forward to thinking with my hands, as they say.”
