Hydrex US: Fully operational in North America

Transcription

1 Number 175 Hydrex US: Fully operational in North America Ecospeed chosen for new cruise ship built by Meyer Werft Hydrex active with jobs around the world The second edition of the Journal of Ship Hull Performance An interview with Koen Smouts, Hydrex Equipment Officer

2 Worldwide network of offices and service stations Underwater solutions avoid drydocking Offshore repair and maintenance services Fully trained and certified diver/technicians Removal of heavy marine fouling on FPSO and drill vessels Fast response centers with instant mobilizable equipment Turnkey underwater solutions for the offshore industry Phone: (24/7) Fax: hydrex@hydrex.be 2

3 Table of contents Hydrex US: Fully operational in North America 5-10 Ecospeed chosen for new cruise ship built by Meyer Werft Hydrex active with jobs around the world The second edition of the Journal of Ship Hull Performance An interview with Koen Smouts, Hydrex Equipment Officer

4 Message from Hydrex founder Boud van Rompay Last month we included a special brochure with our magazine that highlighted the activities of our office in Spain. We follow that up this month with a feature article on our Tampa Bay office. The Hydrex office is fully established and ready to mobilize immediately. To offer the swiftest possible service to customers, the fast-response center of the US office is stocked with an extensive range of state-of-the-art trucks, tools and diving support equipment that is available at all times for the underwater teams. This enables the office to mobilize diver/ technician teams immediately for all kinds of operations on vessels and off-shore units calling on ports in Canada, North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. The second feature article in this magazine includes interviews with representatives of the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and of SICOR GmbH, a Hamburg-based coating application company. With them we talk about the first in a series of two newbuild cruise vessels recently built by Meyer Werft, the first of that famous shipyard s vessels to be given an Ecospeed treatment. The underwater hull coating will protect it against cavitation and corrosion damage throughout its entire service life as well as making it possible for the cruise line to achieve enormous fuel savings with an environmentally safe hull coating system. In our monthly around the world section we give you an update of some of the in-situ jobs that were carried out by Hydrex diver/technicians across the globe. This month you can read about an underwater bow thruster reinstallation and a propeller blade cropping in Panama, an insert repair and an underwater stern tube seal replacement in Algeciras, an insert repair in Flushing and a propeller blade straightening in Rotterdam. Further on in this magazine you can read about the content of the upcoming second edition of the quarterly Journal of Ship Hull Performance. This Journal is intended to help shipowners, operators, port authorities and anyone in the shipping industry who is interested in saving money and being a good citizen as far as the environment is concerned, to see their way through the maze of data and scientific and product literature regarding various types and brands of hull coating systems and choose the best solution for their individual situation. We end the magazine with an interview with Koen Smouts, the man responsible for the organization of the Hydrex fast-response centers that allow us to mobilize swiftly to any kind of job, anywhere in the world. We hope that this magazine will encourage you to call us if you have a problem or need maintenance work carried out or if you want to move your ship or fleet to an environmentally safe, highly fuel efficient hull coating system. We can offer turnkey solutions that include the engineering as well as the practical part of any operation. Best regards, Hydrex founder Boud van Rompay Hydrex US: Fully operational in North America ISO 9001 certified To receive a free copy, fax to: Hydrex N.V or to hydrex@hydrex.be 4

5 Hydrex US: Fully operational in North America The Hydrex office in Clearwater, Florida, in the Tampa Bay area is fully established and ready to mobilize immediately. The office has a fast-response center that is equipped with a full range of diving support equipment and everything needed to carry out Hydrex underwater operations at short notice. This enables Hydrex LLC to efficiently service vessels and offshore units calling on ports in Canada, North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. Because of the nature of repair work, it is often necessary for solutions to difficult problems to be worked out in a short time period, sometimes even while an operation is already in progress. This can only be done successfully by technical experts who have familiarity with the challenges involved and the relevant know-how to resolve such technical difficulties. This is why all staff members of the Hydrex office in Clearwater undergo The Hydrex office in Clearwater, Tampa is fully equipped and ready to mobilize immediately. stringent training at the Hydrex headquarters in Antwerp, after which they are skilled to perform a wide range of operations. They can carry out both simple and complex jobs even in the harshest of circumstances and achieve this uniformly without unnecessary loss of time or quality. To offer the fastest possible service to customers, the fast-response center of the US office is stocked with an extensive range of state-of-the-art logistics, trucks, tools and diving support equipment. To offer the fastest possible service to customers, the fast-response center of the US office is stocked with an extensive range of state-of-the-art, trucks, tools and diving support equipment that is available at all times for the underwater teams. This enables the office to mobilize diver/technician teams immediately to all kinds of operations. Saving significant amounts of time, trouble and expense through on-site underwater work, the offered services All Hydrex US staff members have received stringent training at the headquarters in Antwerp. 5

6 risks and would not let the vessels sail to a different location before the oil leaks had been permanently repaired. Therefore a team immediately left The Hydrex flexible mobdock enables our diving teams to carry out any required work in-situ and underwater but in a dry environment, saving the owner the time and money which going to drydock would entail. A dive support vessel is part of the fast response service offered by Hydrex US. range from a detailed inspection of a vessel s external condition and any required maintenance or cleaning work all the way through to highly technical major repairs. Repairs to thrusters, propellers, rudders, stern tube seals, damaged or corroded hulls and all other underwater services are done while the vessel is in-situ. This eliminates the need to drydock, along with the loss of time and production this entails. Working closely with owners, managers and supervisors, all used methods are fully approved by all major classification societies. from the Hydrex office in Clearwater, Tampa together with the needed equipment on each occasion and set up a diving station at the berthing location of the respective ships. Hydrex teams carried out the repairs with the use of the company s proprietary flexible mobdock technique which allows divers to create a dry environment around the stern tube seal assembly. This enables them to carry out any required work in-situ and underwater but in a dry environment, saving the owner the time and money which going to drydock would entail. New York A full inspection of the vessel in New York revealed that huge quantities of fishing line and nets around the stern tube seal assembly had caused the oil leak. Moreover, the inspection also Some cases in point. Underwater stern tube seal repairs in New York Mississippi and Alabama Underwater stern tube seal replacements on vessels berthed in New York, Gulfport (Mississippi), and Mobile (Alabama) were carried out by Hydrex diver/technicians. All three vessels had oil leaks and were not allowed to sail unless permanent repairs were carried out. The U.S. Coast Guard has very strict policies concerning environmental By performing repair and maintenance work underwater off hire time is minimalized. 6

7 assembly and the installation of the flexible mobdock, the team removed the old seals. Next they positioned and bonded the new seals. The entire unit was reassembled and pressure tests were carried out with positive results. Every day a ship has to go off hire brings about a substantial loss of money. Flexibility is therefore essential during operations like these. The teams worked in shifts to perform the operations within the shortest possible timeframe. Much to the satisfaction of the ship owners, Hydrex was able to perform the repairs in a very tight timeframe with no time wasted. Stern tube seal replacements and other repairs are carried out in-situ, eliminating the need to go to drydock. revealed that part of one of the propeller blades was also missing, causing it to lose its balance and its optimum efficiency. Arrangements were made to perform a propeller repair while the Hydrex diving team replaced the worn seals one by one with new seals. By cropping the opposite blade to exactly the same shape as the damaged blade, the propeller s performance was brought back into balance. seals. Next they reassembled the entire unit and carried out wear-down measurements with positive results. Mobile The seal repair on the vessel in Mobile, Alabama had to be performed before the ship was transferred to a new chartering party. Hydrex diver/technicians already performed a similar operation on one of the customer s other vessels so he Permanent insert repair on bulk carrier in Virginia, U.S.A. Hydrex was contacted to carry out permanent insert repairs on board a bulk carrier that had suffered several cracks in the shell plating of its ballast tanks. In total three new insert plates were installed while the vessel was berthed in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A. A fully-equipped diver/technician team was mobilized from the Hydrex office in Clearwater, Florida, to Norfolk. When the team arrived on site with two locally constructed tailormade cofferdams, they carried out both an onboard and an underwater inspection of the damaged area. Gulfport The operation in Gulfport started with a thorough underwater inspection of the stern tube seal assembly. This revealed that the running surface of the stern tube seals was severely worn and no longer functional. After a discussion with all parties involved, it was decided to remove the spacer ring and create a new running area. The team then installed the flexible mobdock and replaced the damaged The Hydrex office in Clearwater is also capable of carrying out high quality and fast underwater maintenance and repair work on offshore units located in the Gulf of Mexico. knew that Hydrex has well trained diving teams and knows how to handle this kind of situation without loss of quality or time. After the preliminary underwater inspection of the stern tube seal After the designated ballast tanks were declared gas free, the team prepared and set up all the equipment for the inside work. Next they removed the part of the bilge keel covering the damaged areas. 7

8 The divers positioned the first cofferdam on the in-water side of the hull over the first location. Next the old shell plating was removed and a new insert was installed and secured with full penetration welding. The first cofferdam was then removed and positioned over the second crack while at the same time the second cofferdam was installed over the location of the third and final cracked area. The team then removed the shell plating at both locations and positioned and secured a second and third new insert following the same procedure. A surveyor from the American Bureau of Shipping who was on site then tested all three inserts with ultrasonic testing equipment and approved the work. Rudder alignment in Mobile In February Hydrex performed an inspection and realignment of the rudder of a 245-meter tanker while the vessel was afloat in Mobile, Alabama, U.S.A. A Hydrex diver/technician team mobilized from the office in Clearwater to assist the vessel during its stop in Fairground in the Gulf of Mexico. After the team carried out a comprehensive inspection of the rudder it After the team secured the rudder, they used special hydraulic equipment to detach the rudder from the vessel and align it correctly. This was done in close communication with a representative of the manufacturer. All projects are engineered and carried out by Hydrex in close cooperation with the customer. Starting from the design and construction of equipment all the way through to the actual repair or replacement and subsequent follow-up. was confirmed that its indicated pitch position was not in accordance with its actual pitch position. Therefore the rudder needed to be realigned. No other damage was found on the rudder so that no further repairs were necessary. Because such an operation was not allowed at the vessel s location the decision was made to move the vessel to Mobile, Alabama. At this location the team positioned two barges with all their equipment next to the rudder and started the operation. During the operation, the team worked in shifts around the clock. Extra welders were also mobilized to secure the rudder again after the alignment. This was done to finish the operation as soon as possible and avoid any additional loss of time for the customer. Hydrex US offers turnkey maintenance and repair solutions for offshore units The Hydrex office in Clearwater is also capable of carrying out high quality and fast underwater inspection and cleaning operations or any other maintenance and repair work on offshore units located in the Gulf of Mexico. A Hydrex diver/technician team can be on location and ready to service offshore units or offshore related vessels within days. By taking advantage of the Hydrex s in-house designed range of cleaning units all types of fouling can be removed from any type of offshore structure. This offers owners big savings in fuel when moving their unit from one location to another which also means reduced GHG and other emissions. It also reduces drag and weight on the unit and facilitates any needed full scale inspection. All used methods are fully approved by all major classification societies. 8

9 An extensive range of state-of-the-art equipment enables Hydrex US to mobilize diver/technician teams immediately to all kinds of operations. For offshore cleaning operations an all-embracing combination of single, twin and triple head cleaning machines is used. The twin head unit is designed for cleaning light, medium and heavy marine fouling from tubular pipes, bracings and legs of offshore oil and gas platforms, jetties, piles, intakes and ship hulls. The triple head machine on the other hand is easily adaptable to the flat shapes of a ship or pontoon hull. It has a reverse function and its heads self-adjust to the contours of the hull making it far easier to clean complex areas. Preventive and protective maintenance services can also be provided. These are highly effective and save a great deal of time and money in comparison to the costs incurred during a break- down for which there has been no preparation. With preventive engineering and scheduled maintenance, work delays can be eliminated or reduced significantly. Hydrex also has the know-how and expertise to provide comprehensive on-site repair services and project management for offshore related units. These services include a wide range of possible repair operations that make use of specially designed cofferdams. These can be rigid or flexible depending on the type of repair. All projects are engineered and carried out by Hydrex in close cooperation with the customer. Starting from the design and construction of equipment all the way through to the actual repair or replacement and subsequent follow-up. Case in point. Full UWILD inspection and cleaning of drilling vessels in Gulf of Mexico In the second half of 2010 Hydrex diver/technician teams carried out a full inspection and removed all fouling from three drilling vessels in the Gulf of Mexico owned by Transocean, the world s largest offshore drilling company. This was done to reduce the weight and drag of the vessels and increase their available deck load. 9

10 Hydrex had carried out repairs on other offshore units belonging to the same owners. Impressed by the complete package of both engineering and project management that Hydrex offers, the owners asked Hydrex to perform the inspection and cleaning of one of their drilling vessels in the Gulf of Mexico. Satisfied with the way the operation was handled, a second and third drilling vessel were soon added. The scope of work consisted of a comprehensive UWILD inspection of the three vessels, particularly the weld seams, and a cleaning of the underwater parts of the units. Replacement of anodes was also performed wherever needed and all overboard lines were blanked in order to enable inspection from the inside. The Hydrex teams also assisted with the removal of one of the vessels thrusters so that they could be overhauled. The vessels were away from the field and because the crew also needed to carry out other maintenance and repair work on them, a very tight schedule had to be followed. This schedule allowed the team to plan the inspection and cleaning operation around the other work. Flexibility is a very important factor during a large operation like this. Hydrex teams are trained to adapt themselves to the customer s program as much as possible instead of the other way around. Contact Hydrex US info@hydrex.us Phone: +1 (727) (24/7) Fax: +1 (727) CLASS ACCEPTED UNDERWATER STERN TUBE SEAL REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY Using our flexible mobdock method to create a dry underwater environment, we have carried out stern tube seal repairs and replacements underwater for some years now in cooperation with top specialist suppliers. This technology brings drydock conditions to the ship rather than having to take the ship to drydock, saving a considerable amount of time and money in doing so. This class accepted method is performed by our diving teams under our warranty. It can be used while the ship is carrying out its usual cargo or other commercial operations in port. Visit the special stern tube seal repair section on our website for more information and examples of the many seal repairs we have performed in recent years. Hydrex US can efficiently service vessels and offshore units calling on ports in Canada, North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. Phone : (24/7) Fax: hydrex@hydrex.be 10

11 Ecospeed chosen for new cruise ship built by Meyer Werft Meyer Werft, one of the world s leading shipyards with the most modern facilities for designing and building the largest luxury cruise ships, has turned to Ecospeed from Hydrex for the first time for lasting, non-toxic protection of the underwater hull of two of their latest newbuilds. Meyer Werft Tradition and Innovation Headquartered in Papenburg, Germany, Meyer Werft has been building ships since Today the family owned business has a reputation for the highest standards of engineering and manufacturing available anywhere, achieving quality of construction second to none, and for always delivering their ships on time. Ecospeed will protect the newbuild cruise vessel and will optimize its performance. The Meyer Werft facilities in Papenburg include two huge roofed construction docks which enable them to build the largest cruise ships afloat, as well as a wide range of other ships up to 180,000 gross tons, all under "The newbuild cruise ship is one of the largest ever built by Meyer Werft" cover, something which no other shipyard can accomplish. Perhaps the company s biggest asset is its 2,500 plus employees, including some 300 apprentices undergoing professional training, part of Meyer Werft s ongoing investment in human resources. Utilizing cutting edge IT systems from design through to manufacture, and innovative construction technology, Meyer Werft s shipyard is Europe s most advanced. Meyer Werft facilities in Papenburg. For decades, Meyer Werft has been a pioneer in operational environmental protection, paying great attention to emissions control, environmental management and pollution avoidance. This philosophy pervades the shipyard itself and is also a major concern in the designing and building of ships: minimizing the vessels environmental impact is a major concern. 11

12 Cruise ship project One of Meyer Werft s recent projects was to build two new ships for one of the world s most respected cruise lines. The first of these has been completed and launched. The 128,000-ton ship is close to 340 meters (1,115 ft,) in length, 38 meters (125 ft) wide (maximum) and has 14 decks. It is one of the largest cruise ships ever built by Meyer Werft. The cruise line for whom the ship was built is very conscious of, and has a reputation for, the minimal environmental impact of its vessels. The non-toxic Ecospeed coating is the best solution for cruise ship owners from an environmental and cost saving (fuel efficiency) point of view. Not only does Ecospeed not leach biocides into the oceans, it lasts the lifetime of the ship, requiring only minor touch-ups, and can easily be cleaned in the water which greatly improves ship performance and helps reduce CO2 emissions. This was a new product and application for Meyer Werft, but one which fits in well with their innovative approach and environmental concerns. Meyer Werft assigns a Project Manager to each ship owner. In this case, the Naval Architect who was in charge of the design of the new cruise ships, One of the sections of the cruise vessel prior to Ecospeed application. to be painted in place and the paint had to blend in smoothly with the coating already on the blocks. There was some concern about trying something completely new since the shipyard had its guarantees to meet and could not take risks. "The non-toxic Ecospeed coating is the best solution from an environmental and cost saving point of view. Philip Gennotte, was asked to also take on the project management of the ships he designed. With degrees in Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture from Newcastle University in the UK, Philip Gennotte has been with Meyer Werft for nine years. This was the first newbuild project he managed. The owners came to us and asked us if we could use Ecospeed on their new ships, recalls Philip Gennotte. This was a new product for us so we researched it to make sure it would work with our new strategy of building the ships in blocks. It is not a matter of simply painting the completed hull. The ship was built in blocks at six different shipyards and these blocks were then assembled at the Papenburg shipyard. Each block had to be painted before the assembly stage, as once the blocks were in place they could not be accessed for painting. After the blocks were welded together, the seam and the overlap had Even in our ranks there was skepticism about using Ecospeed, says Philip Gennotte. They either hadn t heard of it or it was a different application. One of the big things that was different for us was that it had to be applied in one or two thick coats [two coats of Ecospeed must achieve a minimum thickness of 500 microns each or a total of over 1000 microns]. How could you guarantee that the coat was going to be that thickness? 12

13 Final stages of Ecospeed application on underwater hull of cruise vessel. We worked it out with Ecospeed and the owner and it worked really well. It s been a really good result. The owner is also very happy with the result. The application itself was done by one of Meyer Werft s paint subcontrators, SICOR. It was a matter of explaining it, going through it, planning it, organizing it, coordinating it and it worked. One of the discussions from the beginning that had to be solved was how to work with the pumps and spray equipment because if it s not done right they can get clogged up and they have to be cleaned. That was solved. It worked. Why Ecospeed? There were several reasons for the owner s insistence on using Ecospeed for the underwater hull rather than a biocide leaching antifoulant or a silicone hull paint. Philip Gennotte explains the owner s reasons for specifying Ecospeed: They had three main concerns which were answered by Ecospeed. For this ed into a lot of ways of improving their performance and Ecospeed with regular hull cleaning was a solution that worked for them. The improved performance led to lowered fuel costs and CO2 emissions. Another important factor was extending the drydocking period to five years. The ship "The ship was built to meet a docking period of five years and because Ecospeed is guaranteed not to need replacing for 10 years, this was a vital factor." owner the environment is extremely important. It s important for all ship owners at the moment, especially cruise line owners, it really is, but this company has a particularly strong reputation for environmental care to maintain, so they want to really make sure they do whatever they can. Another factor is performance. With their other cruise ships they had look- was built to meet that docking period and because Ecospeed is guaranteed not to need replacing for 10 years, this was a vital factor. Ecospeed can be an important part of any ship owner s overall strategy for 13

14 then the seams were painted in place in the Papenburg shipyard. The blocks and rudders were built in a total of six shipyards in Germany and Poland and transported to Papenburg for the assembly. The paint was applied by two paint specialist companies, SICOR at the German shipyards, and FaSt for the Polish shipyards in Gdansk (under supervision of SICOR). SICOR was overall responsible for all the painting. Ecospeed will protect the newbuild cruise vessel and will optimize its performance. ship performance and environmental friendliness. The durable coating improves the hydrodynamic characteristics of the hull and increases fuel efficiency. Because Ecospeed creates a smooth surface on the hull, the coating helps the ships glide more easily through the water. Since the engines do not have to be pushed as hard to get from one place to the next, several cruise vessels coated with Ecospeed can actually run with reduced propulsion power. This helps to both save energy and conserve fuel. Being non-toxic, the coating is also effective in prohibiting corrosion and resisting barnacle formation while providing a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional coatings and paint. The coating does not emit solvents or residues during its application, regular cleaning or ongoing sailings, and has an expected life of 25 years at sea. As explained, the ship was built in blocks and these blocks were fabricated in different shipyards and painted In all, 18 blocks were coated with Ecospeed, a total of 330 linear meters when assembled. The total area painted was 14,800 sq. mtrs. The painting began in June 2009 and was completed in November Since the engines do not have to be pushed as hard, several cruise vessels coated with Ecospeed can actually run with reduced propulsion power. at the yard where they were built. Then they were transported to Papenburg and there assembled to form the completed ship. The blocks were welded together, the welds ground and Nine different paint inspectors were involved in the application, chief among them, Ecospeed inspector Erwin Honoré who attended many of the paint applications at the different Applying the paint The hull of the cruise ship was not simply built and then painted in one place once construction was complete. Ecospeed inspector at work. 14

15 Another benefit of using Ecospeed is the fact that it is environmentally safe. Mr. Bachmann notes, In this day and age it is very important to use products which do not pollute our environment. We only experienced a very smooth working relationship with Hydrex personnel and with the Ecospeed application, concludes Sicor s Managing Director. Application of Ecospeed on bottom plating of cruise vessel. The results testify to this excellent teamwork. The application on the hull of the cruise ship is one of the best in the history of Hydrex and Ecospeed. shipyards. A veteran Ecospeed paint inspector, he verified that the surface preparation was adequate (and in at least one case had to have parts of the hull blocks re-blasted to ensure an adequate profile), and that each coat was correctly applied to a minimum thickness of 500 microns. The inspection of the paint application was supervised by Manuel Hof who heads the Ecospeed division of Hydrex. All blocks were coated to the necessary thickness of 1000 microns. When the blocks were welded together, the resulting seams were coated in place, resulting in a smooth, seamless coating for the entire hull. SICOR SICOR GmbH is a Hamburg based company specializing in corrosion protection in a variety of fields of which ships and new ship construction is an important one. They have established long term relationships with shipyards including Meyer Werft and have a subsidiary office in Papenburg from which their operations with Meyer Werft, who greatly value their work, are run. Even though SICOR has worked successfully for years with Meyer Werft, this was the first time the company was contracted to apply Ecospeed. Reinhard Bachmann, Managing Director of SICOR, describes the project including the preparatory actions they took: As we had not worked with this product before, we consulted other paint companies who had used Ecospeed, and visited the manufacturer in Belgium to learn about the paint and its application. We did an analysis of all parameters and set up sample surfaces to achieve the best quality on the ship. Ecospeed must be applied exactly according to the instructions Summary The combined efforts of an enlightened ship owner, an innovative and quality conscious Meyer Werft, a highly professional SICOR team, and Hydrex have resulted in a top notch application of Ecospeed to the underwater hull of a stellar new cruise ship. On a practical level, the ship will maintain a very high level of fuel efficiency which, with regular in-water hull cleaning, will remain steady throughout the five year period before she goes to drydock, and for her entire "Hydrex qualified paint inspectors were on site to make sure that the results were correct. There was not one technician who did not give us his full support, which is very rare in the industry." in the data sheet by a skilled sprayer in order to achieve a smooth, high quality result. Hydrex qualified paint inspectors were on site to make sure that the results were correct. The process with the technicians went very well and they supported us in every way, continues Mr. Bachmann. There was not one technician who did not give us his full support, which is very rare in the industry. life. At the same time she will sail confidently knowing that she is causing zero pollution to the marine environment where she sails and docks. Based on experience, when she does go to drydock in five years, the underwater hull paint will be pristine and require at the most some very minor touch-ups. 15

16 Permanent rudder repairs now possible without drydocking Hydrex has developed an entirely new method enabling permanent repairs of rudders without drydocking the ship. Permanent repairs were hitherto not possible and ships had to drydock in case a major defect was found. The newly designed equipment is lightweight and can be mobilized very rapidly in our special flight containers. Therefore this new service is now available worldwide. Major defects on rudders very often cause unscheduled drydocking of ships. The new method designed by our technical department allows engineers, welders and inspectors to perform their tasks in dry conditions. Class approved permanent repairs in-situ, without moving the ship, are now possible and commercial operations can continue. Steel repairs and replacements can be performed and pintle and bushing defects can be solved without the loss of time and money associated with drydocking. The equipment can be mobilized within hours to any port in the world and is available for rapid mobilization from the Hydrex headquarters in Antwerp. 16

17 Hydrex around the world Bow thruster reinstallation in Panama Last month a Hydrex diver/technician team reinstalled a bow thruster unit on a 294-meter cargo vessel during its stop in Panama. The unit had been removed during the vessel s last drydock visit and was brought on board again last year after being overhauled. Hydrex diver/technician performing an inspection of the gearbox of the bow thruster unit prior to installation. Preparation of the bow thruster tunnel for the reinstallation of the unit. The vessel lay at the inner anchorage close to the quay were it was protected against bad weather conditions. The team arrived at the ship with a workboat and started the operation with a full check-up and cleaning of the bow thruster unit. onboard team started the reinstallation of the unit to the engine room while the second team simultaneously started the fitting of the propeller blades. At this point the vessel s schedule made it necessary for the ship to unload its cargo, after which it sailed through the Panama Canal. On the other side the diver/technician team put the bolts on torque and performed all the necessary tests, including a test of the pitch position communication. This successfully concluded the repair and allowed the ship to make full used of its thruster again, without having to go to drydock for the reinstallation. While part of the diver/technician team started with the preparation of the thruster tunnel, the rest of the team readied the thruster room. The unit was then lowered into the water and brought inside the thruster tunnel. Once this was done the team leader, who was coordinating the operation from inside the monitoring station, gave the underwater section of the team the go-ahead to position and secure the bow thruster unit. Next the Hydrex diver/technician during installation of mobdock. 17

18 HYDREX WEST AFRICA IN PORT GENTIL, GABON Hydrex West Africa is situated in Port Gentil, Gabon right next to Cape Lopez Bay. Working closely together with the headquarters in Antwerp the office can benefit from Hydrex s long tradition in the ship repair and offshore industry. Insert repair on bulk carrier in Flushing When a 266-meter bulk carrier suffered damage to the outer shell plating of one of its ballast tanks, a Hydrex diver/technician team performed a permanent insert repair during the vessel s stay in Flushing. A diver/technician team with equipment was mobilized to the vessel from the Hydrex headquarters in Antwerp. When the team arrived on site they carried out both an onboard and an Port Gentil is a general and bulk cargo port. It is the only port on the Gabon coast with a bunkering service. Thanks to the sheltered environment, the bay is ideally suited for in water work. This combined with its central location on the African West sea coast makes it the ideal place to have repair or maintenance work carried out on a ship, barge or rig in optimal circumstances. Hydrex West Africa can mobilize teams immediately to service vessels and offshore units in Port Gentil or any other suitable location in West Africa. A good example of this is the recent removal, repair and reinstallation of a 40 ton swing-up azimuth thruster of an offshore crane barge that was servicing rigs in an oil field off the coast of Gabon. The entire operation was performed while the unit stayed at anchorage just outside the oil field. Hydrex West Africa Sis TLC/ Cité Shell BP 2160 Port Gentil - Gabon Phone : (24/7) westafrica@hydrex.be Certified Hydrex welder performing full penetration weld. underwater inspection of the damaged area. This revealed that an area of 600 mm x 300 mm needed to be cut away and replaced with a new insert plate. The divers then positioned a cofferdam on the in-water side of the hull over the affected location. While the new insert was being fabricated to the exact measurements, the team removed the frames covering the affected area and cut away the damaged section of the shell plating. Next they prepared the edges of the hole for the installation of the insert which Hydrex diver/technician getting ready to install mobdock over underwater side of affected shell plating. was positioned and secured with a full penetration weld according to the class-approved Hydrex procedures. When the insert plate was fully welded, ultrasonic testing was carried out with positive results. The full penetration weld was also inspected from the outside, found in a good condition and authorized by the attending classification society inspector. Finally the team reinstalled the frames which had been removed, concluding the repair. This allowed the customer to sail his vessel with a permanently repaired hull. New permanent insert plate with all frames installed again. 18

19 Underwater stern tube seal replacement in Algeciras avoids drydocking To save time and money for the owners of a 270-meter container vessel that was leaking oil, a Hydrex diver/technician team replaced four stern tube seals, using one of Hydrex s flexible mobdocks. This enabled the team to carry out the entire operation underwater during the vessel s stop in Algeciras. The diver/technicians mobilized from the Hydrex office in Algeciras, arriving at the dock together with all the needed equipment. The Hydrex team leader met up with the vessel s owner One of the two fully equipped dive support workboats of the Hydrex office in Algeciras the dry underwater environment created around the stern tube seal assembly by the flexible mobdock. The four aft stern tube seals were replaced and bonded one by one. The team created a new running area for these seals as well. Subsequently all parts were reinstalled and secured. After a leakage test was successfully performed, the rope guard was welded on again. The Hydrex flexible mobdock creates a dry working environment around the stern tube seal assembly. and superintendent while the rest of the diving team set up a work station to monitor all underwater activities. Next, all quayside preparations were made for the main activity, which started immediately with the removal of the rope guard. This was followed by a thorough underwater inspection and shaft wear down readings. forward seals were damaged as well, the team first replaced both of them and created a new running area. Hydrex diver/technicians then entered Taking advantage of more than 35 years of experience and with well trained diver/technician teams, all Hydrex offices know how to handle any kind of operation to the highest standards and always saving time for the customer. Next the flexible mobdock was installed, creating a dry working environment for the divers, making it possible for the entire stern tube assembly to be cleaned. Because the Hydrex diver/technician working on the fore seals of the vessel 19 All Hydrex diver/technicians have experience with working inside the flexible mobdock.

20 Aship that has suffered damage to its propeller blades might have severe vibrations while sailing. The classification society might demand a repair before the vessel is allowed to sail on. By straightening the blades or cropping them underwater, Hydrex can restore the propeller s balance, resulting in a green light from the class for the vessel without need for drydocking. This is illustrated by a propeller blade straightening in Rotterdam and a propeller blade cropping performed in Panama by Hydrex diver/technician teams recently. Propeller modifications in Rotterdam and Panama Propeller blades can be straightened with the Hydrex cold straightening machines. The Hydrex research department is constantly looking into ways to develop this technique even further and new improved versions are put in use every few years, the latest of which being earlier this year. This enables the Hydrex diver/technicians to straighten blades that have been bent over an even bigger angle. The crew of a 183-meter tanker suspected that there was damage to their vessel s propeller blades caused by travelling through ice. An underwater The latest version of the Hydrex cold straightening machine was put in practice earlier this year. Fast and high quality in-situ repair services in the Western Mediterranean area and North Africa The Hydrex office in Algeciras is ready to mobilize immediately with their two dedicated dive support vessels. Both vessels are fully equipped as service stations for a wide range of repair operations and allow for a fast response in the bay of Algeciras, Gibraltar African ports. and North As part of the Hydrex group, Hydrex Spain takes advantage of the companies 37 years of experience. All operations are carried out by highly certified diver/technicians all of which have been trained in the headquarters in Antwerp and have extensive experience, enabling the office to offer their customers the high quality Hydrex is known for. Jobs recently carried out by Hydrex Spain include a propeller modification, pipe repairs, rudder repairs and stern tube seal repairs in Algeciras, propeller modifications in Cadiz and an azimuth bow thruster removal and reinstallation on a pipe laying vessel in Cartagena. Hydrex Spain Poligono Industrial Palmones II Calle Dragaminas Nave N Algeciras Spain Phone: (24/7) Fax: info@hydrex.es 20

21 Bent propeller blades can often be straightened to restore the propeller s efficiency and balance. Damaged blades of a propeller can be cropped if the damage is too extensive to be straightened. inspection carried out by a Hydrex team confirmed this to be the case. The vessel was therefore trimmed during its stay in Rotterdam and the team straightened the bent propeller blade tip. This restored the blade to its original condition. When a blade is damaged too severely by ice of other floating debris, straightening is not feasible. If it is decided that cropping is the only option, measurements are taken and used to calculate the exact radius of the area to be cropped. This was the case with the propeller blades of a 197-meter ro/ro vessel. A Hydrex diver/technician team mobilized from the office in Clearwater, U.S.A. to assist the vessel in Panama. To make a full assessment of the damage, the team first performed an underwater inspection. They then used the information acquired to find the best cutting line that would bring the performance of the propeller back as close to its optimal condition as was possible. The actual repair job consisted of the four blades being modified underwater one after the other by the Hydrex diver/technicians. The area to be cropped was marked out on each blade and verified. The blade was then cropped and its edge ground to give it the correct radius. When the cropping was complete, the blades were polished to make sure that any remaining loss of efficiency would be minimal. Hydrex has been cropping propellers since 1985 and straightening them since Both cropping and straightening are done to restore the propeller s performance to as close to its optimum condition as possible and to balance it. This can help a vessel that is suffering loss of speed due to an out-of-balance propeller. Hydrex diver/technicians can assist in working out the best solution and have the skill and experience needed to implement the theoretical solutions that have been worked out. An underwater inspection is carried out to take the measurements needed to calculate the best cutting line. The cropped areas are polished to make sure that any remaining loss of efficiency is minimal. 21

22 Permanent underwater insert repair in Algeciras Recently Hydrex Spain carried out a permanent insert repair on a 225-meter cargo vessel at anchorage in Algeciras. The vessel had suffered a stress-related crack on the port side next to the bilge keel and water was coming into the ballast tank. The classification society therefore required that a repair be carried out before the end of April. After arrival on site and installation of a workstation, both an on-board and an underwater inspection were made of the damaged area. This revealed that a 450mm x 335mm insert plate needed to be installed. Before the team could install the cofferdam that would seal off the One of two identical dive support vessels of the Hydrex office in Spain. damage, part of the bilge keel needed to be removed. When this was done and the cofferdam was in place, the diver/technicians cut away the area around the crack to the same size as the insert, which was then welded with a deep penetration weld according to the class approved Hydrex procedures. As a result of the permanent repair carried out with the ship at anchor, further attention to the hull cracks will not be needed during her next drydocking. The vessel was ready to sail on time as the repair was carried out well within the available time frame. Hydrex diver/technician carrying out certified full penetration weld. During the operation similar damage was found in the same location on the starboard side of the vessel. The team therefore used the same procedure to install a 700mm x 335mm insert plate on that side as well. Cofferdam installed over the affected area. HYDREX OFFICES IN INDIA READY TO MOBILIZE Hydrex has two fully staffed offices in India. One in Mumbai and one on Visakhapatnam, covering the East and the West Coast of India. Equipped with a complete array of Hydrex diving and repair equipment, both offices are ready to carry out any necessary repair and maintenance work and provide preventive as well as problem solving services. All operations will be carried out by professional Hydrex teams, trained and qualified to perform complex technical tasks underwater. All procedures are fully approved by all major classification societies. Hydrex Mumbai Phone/Fax: (24/7) mumbai@hydrex.be Hydrex Vishakhapatnam Phone/Fax: (24/7) vishakhapatnam@hydrex.be 22

23 The new quarterly Journal of Ship Hull Performance Journal of Ship Hull Performance, Vol I, Issue 2, April 2011 Demystifying Ship Hull Coating Systems The second edition of the quarterly Journal of Ship Hull Performance is due for publication at the end of April. By the time you read this it will be available on line at for download. Those who have already registered for either ed or printed versions of the Journal can expect to receive their copy(ies) in due course if they have not already done so. This second issue of the Journal is intended to help shipowners, operators, port authorities and anyone in the shipping industry who is interested in saving money and being good a good citizen as far as the environment is concerned, to see their way through the maze of data and scientific and product literature regarding various types and brands of hull coating systems and choose the best solution for their individual situation. The contents of Issue 2 of the Journal of Ship Hull Performance consists of the following: Hydrex White Paper No. 3, Clean Ship Hulls and Ports, Without Compromise: Best approach to safeguarding of the marine environment through correct hull protection and maintenance. This White Paper is reprinted in full in the Journal. It is a guide to ship hull coatings and maintenance which are not only costeffective but also environmentally safe. Hydrex White Paper No. 4, Ship Hull Coating Systems Simplified, How to choose the right ship hull coating system, from an economic and environmental perspective an executive manual. This recently released White Paper is an overview of the possibilities for ship hull protection and fouling control available 23

24 commercially at this time, noting the strengths and weaknesses of each type of system so that a decision maker or executive responsible for selection of hull coating systems for ships or fleets can make an accurate and informed choice when it comes to painting ship hulls, at newbuild stage or when the ship is to be drydocked for repainting. The overview approaches the subject more from an economical and environmental viewpoint than from a technical or scientific one. There are many papers and much literature on the subject and much of it is highly scientific, written for chemists, biologists, engineers and technical people, rather than for executives and decision makers. This White Paper considers the three main classifications of hull coating systems currently in use without going into manufacturers or brand names. Once the decision has been made as to which type of coating system to employ, further research will be needed to select the best specific brand and coating to suit particular circumstances. Michael P. Schultz, Furthering Research on Ship Hull Hydrodynamics, features a short article based on an interview with Michael Schultz, Program Director of Ocean Engineering at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and a reprint of his paper, Economic impact of biofouling on an naval surface ship, published at the end of 2010 in Biofouling, containing very useful information to any shipowner or operator looking to cut fuel costs and GHG emissions. Maxim Candries, Marine Fouling and Hull Coating Research, is a short article about Maxim Candries, an expert on hull friction, fouling, coatings and fouling control working at the University of Ghent, and a reprint of his essay, Greener coatings for cleaner ships published in The Journal of Ocean Technology and reprinted in full. Ship Hull Coatings A Paint Inspector/Specialist s Perspective, is an in-depth interview with Gunnar Ackx, joint owner of SCICON Worldwide, a specialist coatings inspection and consulting company based in Bruges, Belgium. The interview contains practical advice on hull protection and fouling control. Issue 2 of the Journal of Ship Hull Performance is packed with useful information intended for shipowners, operators and all decision makers and executives in the marine industry. The Journal can be downloaded at IN-SITU BOW THRUSTER OPERATIONS The Hydrex lightweight flexible mobdocks are designed to be easily transported around the world and are used to close off the thruster tunnel on both sides, allowing divers to perform repairs and other operations in a dry environment around the bow thruster unit. This technique enables them to reinstall the propeller blades of an overhauled thruster inside the thruster tunnel after the unit has been secured or replace the blades or seals and perform repair work on a specific part without removing the unit. Since the development of this 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 operations can be carried out in port or while the vessel is stationary at sea. Normal commercial activities can therefore continue without disruption. hydrex@hydrex.be Phone: (24/7) Fax:

25 Making sure that the Hydrex fast-response centers are fully stocked with state-of-the-art equipment An interview with Koen Smouts, Hydrex Equipment Officer The Hydrex office have fast response centers that are designed for a fast mobilization to vessels all round the world. For this reason they are equipped with a wide-ranging stock of logistics, tools and dive support equipment as well as a fleet of vehicles and workboats. Hydrex Equipment Officer Koen Smouts is the man responsible for the organization of these fast-response centers. Since he joined the Hydrex team eleven years ago he has done a full reorganization of the warehouse, enabling the swift mobilization our teams are known for. Hydrex: Can you briefly tell us about your career so far? Koen Smouts: I ve always worked in the mechanical sector. I originally did repairs in Belgium and northern Europe. I worked for the company I keep for myself and also expect from others. Boud asked me to create a nice system which would keep everything in its right place and which would make it easy to check the inventory. I started with the diving equipment, the helmets and the hydraulic power packs. Next I started working on the certificates and made sure that everything got checked and certified on a If you don t look professional, how can you expect people to trust that you can work professional? What people see above the water is reflected in what is carried out underwater. Hydrex Equipment Officer Koen Smouts supervising the mobilization for a big repair operation. in perfect condition. When they come back from a job they have to check each item separately before they put it back on the shelves. That way they don t have to worry about it when they take it off the shelves for a job, speeding up the response time. All the chests you see over there contain working equipment which we maintain in as good a shape as possible. Buying all that equipment is a big investment and we want to keep it safe, to make sure that it lasts as long as possible. The longer you can use it the more the investment pays off. next door to Hydrex. When this company ceased its business I met Boud van Rompay who asked me to come and work for Hydrex. I started off doing all-round work and organizing all the equipment. Purchases were done by someone else back then. About five years ago I took over that job. H: Was everything organized so nicely back then? KS: I have very high standards which regular basis. After that I worked my way through the rest of our stock until everything in our warehouse was where it needed to be and in the inventory. H: Everything in our fast-response center is state-of-the-art, in tiptop shape and certified, which is rather unique I would say. KS: If you want to do a high standard job you have to have high standard tools and equipment. We train our divers to report as soon as something is not H: Have you also helped getting the fast-response centers of our other offices on the rails? KS: I ve been to our US office a couple of times to train the new staff members and teach them how they can organize their fast-response center in the most economical way. Showing people something is always better than just telling them. I did the same for Hydrex Spain. New divers are also paired to experienced staff members in all offices. I keep an eye on this 25

26 training so that they learn how to get everything ready for an operation. H: Are you also involved in organizing the mobilization of operations? KS: I am involved with all operations, whether big or small, guiding the loading of the trucks and vans to make sure that everything is done correctly. This is of course done in close coordination with the people of our technical department. They receive the order and then check with me to see what we have in stock and what needs to be bought. I am in charge of rush purchases. This is necessary because if you have to leave for an emergency operation there is just no time to wait until it has gone through all the regular lines. You have to be able to react immediately. For this reason I work with a lot of regular suppliers. Since the start of the financial crisis they have a lot less in stock, and working with just one fixed supplier is not enough anymore. You have to have several people you can call to get what you need as soon as possible, because entire fleet is refurbished or even replaced if needed. They are repainted and new vehicle graphics are applied. The inside of the vans are also reorganized regularly to turn them into state-of-the-art mobile monitoring stations. It is essential that all the equipment you use, from the clothing and the shoes to the containers and the workboats, is in perfect condition and looks We redesigned the inside of our containers and built them in-house. On the one hand to reduce the investment in them, but on the other hand because we wanted to make sure that we had the best possible equipment for our divers. often there is no time to wait until they have ordered something. Very few companies these days have such a big stock as we have. Over the years I have built a good relationship with those people. I already worked with a lot of them when I worked in the mechanical sector. H: Do you also handle bigger purchases? KS: Yes. Whenever a new van or truck needs to be ordered I also take care of this and in case of a workboat sometimes even from the design phase and the manufacturing of the very first part of the boat. Every few years our Koen has organized the Hydrex fast-response center to allow for a very swift mobilization in case of an emergency. pristine. This is very important for customers because how you look reflects on the quality of the work. If you don t look professional, how can you expect people to trust that you can work professionally? What people see above the water is reflected in what is carried out underwater. Just this weekend our divers went on a propeller modification operation. Both the owner and superintendent of the vessel were at the site. They followed the operation on the big monitoring screens in the dive support container. They were impressed with our professionalism and complimented the divers who worked long hours. The owner 26 also told them that he was impressed with the equipment they brought. It is nice to hear when you come in on Monday morning that your work is appreciated. This also generates new work. Word of mouth is important. H: Our range of various containers is one of the most striking features of Hydrex. Have you been involved in creating them? KS: Yes, Boud and I designed the inside and changed the entire concept of these containers and we built them in-house. We want to make sure that we have the best possible equipment for our divers, to meet the high standards we offer our customers. Since we began to customize our containers, we have seen very similar containers used by other companies who have seen how easy they are to use. We did the same with the video units used during an operation. They used to be these big blue boxes. When we wanted to make them smaller and lightweight and at the same time capable of recording more video material they told us this was not feasible, so we designed them ourselves in cooperation with a manufacturer. Now almost everyone is using them. H: That is also a nice compliment I think. Thanks for the interview.

27 SHIP HULL PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY Ecospeed ship hull performance technology lasts the lifetime of the vessel. The need for full repaints during future drydockings is eliminated. An impermeable and extremely tough coating is combined with an underwater cleaning system keeping the hull roughness at an optimum level and resulting in a major saving in fuel. a Ecospeed is a 100% non-toxic technology and is guaranteed for 10 years. Its surface texture will improve over time with regular inwater hull maintenance. Phone: Fax: info@ecospeed.be 27

28 Keeping ships in business Hydrex underwater technology and services provide high quality solutions to the repair and replacement problems encountered by ships and offshore vessels. We deliver a complete line of services that may reduce or avoid off-hire time entirely. From major projects to simple inspections, Hydrex has the worldwide facilities and capability to meet your demands. Drydocking is not necessary so time, trouble and expense are saved by doing work in-situ. Hydrex services cover highly technical major repairs or replacements of a ship s external underwater equipment such as thrusters, propellers, rudders, stern tube seals and damaged or corroded hulls. Headquarters Hydrex N.V. - Antwerp Phone: (24/7) hydrex@hydrex.be Hydrex Spain - Algeciras Phone: + 34 (956) (24/7) info@hydrex.es Hydrex LLC - Tampa, U.S.A. Phone: (24/7) info@hydrex.us Hydrex West Africa Port Gentil, Gabon Phone: (24/7) westafrica@hydrex.be Hydrex India - Mumbai Phone: (24/7) mumbai@hydrex.be Hydrex India -Vishakhaptnam Phone: (24/7) vishakhapatnam@hydrex.be