United Heavy Lift (UHL) is poised to nearly double its fleet of eco-multipurpose ships to 17 vessels.

The Hamburg-based company is in talks to gain commercial control of the remaining eight newbuildings in a series of multipurpose (MPP) ships that were previously destined for insolvent German operator Zeamarine.

UHL took over the first nine in the series of 14,000-dwt vessels in January.