Hydrex Magazine 205 0505001-Hydrex Mag 106.Qxd 17/12/13 09:38 Pagina 1
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Hydrex magazine 205_0505001-Hydrex Mag 106.qxd 17/12/13 09:38 Pagina 1 Magazine Number 205 Underwater stern tube seal repair in Trinidad saves time and money........................................ 4 Hydrex performs a wide range of propeller operations, keeping ships out of drydock .............. 7 How Hydrex revolutionized underwater bow thruster operations.............................................. 11 Hydrex magazine 205_0505001-Hydrex Mag 106.qxd 17/12/13 09:38 Pagina 2 www.hydrex.be Hydrex magazine 205_0505001-Hydrex Mag 106.qxd 17/12/13 09:38 Pagina 3 The magazine ends with an inter- Table of contents Editorial view with Hydrex Production Exe- cutive, Dave Bleyenberg. He talks about the history of underwater bow thruster operations and the benefits this kind of repairs bring for ship owners. We hope you enjoy reading this issue of our magazine as much as we have enjoyed producing it. Please contact us if you have questions or Underwater stern tube seal comments about the magazine or if repair in Trinidad saves time you need our assistance with one or and money 4-6 more of your vessels. In the end that is still our main goal: to help you keep your ship sailing safely, economically and on schedule. n this magazine you can read Iabout a range of on-site oper- ations carried out by Hydrex Best regards, diver/technicians around the world. These operations were all performed with the same purpose in mind: to keep the customer’s Hydrex performs a wide range of vessel out of drydock and allow Hydrex founder propeller operations, keeping ships out of drydock 7-10 him to keep his ship on schedule. Boud Van Rompay We start off the magazine with an article about an underwater stern tube seal repair done in Trinidad on a 148-meter container vessel. The operation was carried out under constantly changing circumstances. Our divers are, however, trained to handle this kind of operation like any other: to the highest safety and quality standards.. How Hydrex revolutionized underwater bow thruster The next article deals with several ISO 9001 certified operations 11-14 propeller operations performed on tankers in Europe. Hydrex divers straightened 3 propeller blades on a 248-meter ship in Algeciras, Spain. To receive a free copy, fax to: Hydrex N.V. +32 3 213 53 21 In the Netherlands a team cropped or e-mail to [email protected] the four blades of a propeller on a 183-meter vessel in Flushing and installed a Propeller Boss Cap Fins (PBCF) on a 110-meter vessel in Rotterdam. These repairs were all performed on-site and underwater to avoid a costly drydock visit for the owners. 3 Hydrex magazine 205_0505001-Hydrex Mag 106.qxd 17/12/13 09:38 Pagina 4 Underwater stern tube seal repair in Trinidad saves time and money ast month a Hydrex diver/ Ltechnician team carried out underwater stern tube seal repairs on a 148-meter container vessel in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The ship was suffering from an oil leak, making an on-site repair neces- sary. Using one of the company’s flexible mobdocks the team was able to carry out the entire opera- tion on-site and underwater, saving the owner an expensive and time-consuming trip to drydock. Every Hydrex office has a fast re- sponse center, equipped with all the Hydrex diver getting ready for underwater operation in Trinidad. latest facilities, equipment and tools. These centers were designed specif- ically to increase speed of service. The lightweight flexible mobdocks packed in flight containers allowed for a very fast mobilization and a timely arrival in Trinidad of the Hydrex team. The diving team first set up a moni- toring station. The operation then started with a thorough underwater inspection of the stern tube seal assembly. After the inspection, the team de- tached the vessel’s rope guard. Next the divers installed the flexible mob- dock around the stern tube seal assembly creating a dry underwater environment so that they could work in drydock-like conditions. The split ring was then disconnected and brought to the surface to be cleaned. After cleaning the entire assembly, the divers removed the first seal and replaced it with a new one which was then bonded. This procedure was repeated with the other two The stern tube assembly before it was cleaned. 4 Hydrex magazine 205_0505001-Hydrex Mag 106.qxd 17/12/13 09:38 Pagina 5 Swift on-site bow thruster operations he Hydrex lightweight Tflexible mobdocks are de- signed to be easily transported Hydrex flexible mobdock installed around the stern tube assembly. around the world and are used to close off the thruster tunnel on both sides, allowing divers damaged seals. and procedures. Over the years the to perform repairs and other operations in a dry environ- Hydrex R&D department has im- ment around the bow thruster The operation ended with the con- proved the flexible mobdock (mo- unit. ducting of pressure tests with posi- bile mini drydock) technique to tive results, the removal of the flexi- make it possible for our diver/tech- This technique enables them to ble mobdock and the reinstallation nicians to perform permanent repairs reinstall the propeller blades of of the rope guard. on seals, thrusters and almost any an overhauled thruster inside other part of the underwater vessel the thruster tunnel after the unit Hydrex has carried out repairs and without the need for drydock. The has been secured or replace the blades or seals and perform replacements on all types of seals latest generation of flexible mob- re-pair work on a specific part on-site and underwater, for almost docks allow us to carry out on-site with-out removing the unit. twenty years now. We constantly replacement of virtually any type of invest in the research necessary to stern tube seals very quickly. Since the development of this continue to evolve repair techniques flexible mobdock technique, numerous thruster repairs have been carried out by Hydrex diver/technicians around the world. There is no need to send the vessel to drydock as all opera- tions can be carried out in port or while the vessel is stationary at sea. Normal commercial activ- ities can therefore continue with- out disruption. Phone: + 32 3 213 5300 (24/7) Fax: + 32 3 213 5321 [email protected] www.hydrex.be Cleaned part of the rope guard before being installed. 5 Hydrex magazine 205_0505001-Hydrex Mag 106.qxd 17/12/13 09:38 Pagina 6 Fast underwater ship hull repairs save time and money ydrex on-site hull repair Hservices include the renew- al of both small and large areas of damaged hull plating. These repairs can be carried out above or below water, according to the Diver/technician working inside the flexible mobdock. circumstances, with tailor-made mobdocks. Normal commercial activities can therefore continue Conclusion are however trained to handle these without disruption. These oper- constant changing and challenging ations follow the Hydrex pro- Due to the very busy schedule in circumstances. They worked in cedure for welding cracks in Port of Spain, the team had to halt shifts to finish the stern tube seal the vessel's shell plating and they are approved by the major the operation on several occasions repairs as quickly as possible. classification societies. when one of the vessels next to the Despite the breaks, the operation container ship left or a new ship was carried out without any loss of Hydrex diver/technician teams arrived. The ship also had to shift quality. The owner could sail his carry out these on-site hull repairs several times, making further inter- vessel free of oil leaks and without all over the world. In most cases ruptions necessary. Hydrex divers having to go to drydock. the damaged area can be replaced with a permanent insert and no condition of class is imposed. On the rare occasions where the damage does not allow such a repair, a temporary doubler plate is installed over the affected area. This allows the owners to keep to their schedule and have a per- manent repair carried out during the next scheduled drydock visit. To offer the fastest possible ser- vice to customers, Hydrex offices have fast response centers where an extensive range of state-of- the-art tools and diving support equipment is available at all times for the repair teams. Hydrex diver preparing the assembly for the operation. 6 Hydrex magazine 205_0505001-Hydrex Mag 106.qxd 17/12/13 09:38 Pagina 7 Hydrex performs a wide range of propeller operations, keeping ships out of drydock ydrex teams carried out a Hwide range of underwater propeller operations on tankers around the world. Among them a propeller blade straightening on a 248-meter ship in Algeciras, Spain, a blade cropping on a 183- meter vessel in Flushing, the Netherlands, and a spinner cone (Propeller Boss Cap Fins – PBCF) replacement on a 110-meter vessel in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Underwater propeller blade straightening in Algeciras With three of the four blades of its propeller severely bent, a 248-meter Hydrex diver/technician positioning cold straightening machine. tanker needed a fast, on-site solution to restore the propeller’s balance mobilized to the ship’s location After the equipment arrived at the and efficiency. Hydrex diver/techni- close to the Hydrex office in vessel’s location with one of the cians are trained to carry out repairs Algeciras Spain to perform a cold Hydrex workboats the team started underwater in the shortest possible straightening of the blades. the repair with a detailed underwater time frame. A team was rapidly survey of the damaged propeller blades.