The US field developer and marine contractor expects the ship-shaped hull to sail away under its own power from the Viktor Lenac shipyard by April.

The vessel is in Croatia undergoing final work before it departs for its transatlantic voyage to the US.

The 30-year-old ice-class, roll-on, roll-off German ferry was stripped bare before sponsons were added to increase the beam from 18 metres to 29 metres in order to have enough room for all the topsides equipment.