The ships up on dry land

How do you get a passenger ship that is almost 50 metres long and weighs 250 tonnes out of the water? With teamwork and precision.
It is a moment full of tension: inch by inch, the MS Zug glides ashore, accompanied by the creaking of the cable winch and the concentrated gazes of the crew. The operation requires precision work, teamwork – and is a highlight when everything goes smoothly. The ship is supported by a structure with two connected carriages and trestles that are adapted to the ship's shell. Still in the water, the MS Zug carefully moves onto these carriages until it reaches the exact point of orientation. Then the cable winch pulls the ship step by step along the rails onto land.

With experience and sensitivity
Every manoeuvre has to be just right: the skipper navigates, a crew member on land keeps an eye on the reference point, another operates the winch. They are connected by radio. Underwater, a diver checks whether the carriage and rails are well aligned. Two helpers on land hold the ship in position with a pole on the bollard and make the last corrections.

Every five years, the hull of the Zugersee ships must be inspected, as required by the Federal Office of Transport. The hull is cleaned of dirt and mussels using a high-pressure cleaner and the ship is encased to protect it from the cold. After that, the hull is sanded down and coated with an anti-fouling agent. "You have to crawl under the ship between the carriages – it's pretty cramped,’ grins Dani Bucher. ‘You feel like you're standing under a 250-tonne colossus. It can be a bit of an unsettling feeling."

Maintenance team, boatmen and sailors
In addition to the maintenance specialists Dani and Murat, three to four sailors and boatmen are working on the launch. Hard work should be rewarded: Managing Director Philipp Hofmann occasionally brings homemade cake for the crew – "our little highlights," says Dani.

This year, the second ship will be hauled out immediately after the MS Zug. Then everything starts all over again: wagon, winch, divers, precision, teamwork. And it will be another highlight when the MS Rigi is safely pulled ashore.