TSS Earnslaw to resume service after major refurb

The TSS Earnslaw is set to resume sailing next week after a multimillion-dollar makeover that saw her removed from the water for months.

The recent upgrades to the ship were the most significant in its 113-year history, RealNZ chief executive Dave Beeche says.

The steamship will be back in service on October 1 and bookings are open.

The TSS Earnslaw was taken out of the water in May for major upgrades and minor tidying up and "it's looking amazing," Beeche says.

During the roughly 16-week work programme the engines were completely refurbished.

"It's been a massive project and it's the first time in its history that the engines are being lifted. In its 113-year history, the engines had never been lifted, so we'd never been able to really see what the condition of the hull plating was under there," Beeche says.

Sections of the hull were also replated. Sections had been replated over time, but during the time on land, the last big section of hull was done. Beeche says about a quarter of the plating was removed and replaced with new steel.

The last big aspect of the project was replacing tubes in the boilers which Beeche says will also increase efficiency.

Alongside the three large workpieces, there was also an opportunity to fix and tidy up other aspects including painting the engine room and improving vessel safety.

"For a project of that scale we're really happy with how it's tracked and the team have done a great job," Beeche says.

"It's been a big project but overall highly successful."

The ship is removed from the water about every three years for a "service" but this was the biggest refit in its history.