Emergency Operation on Drilling Vessel in Singapore

Recently Hydrex sent a diver-technician team to Singapore to perform an emergency operation on a 154 metre drilling vessel that had just been to drydock for repairs but soon after leaving was still experiencing problems with one of its three bow thrusters. The owner needed to know the exact reason for the problem as soon as possible so that he could decide on whether to redock the vessel before it left for its working location and this to minimize off hire.

Thanks to the Hydrex fast response centre, within 24 hours after being contacted a team of 6 diver-technicians was on its way to Singapore together with the necessary equipment. Simultaneously preparations were made in Singapore by the local support base so that the team could start the operation immediately after it arrived at the vessel’s location, only days after the call came in.

The first step was the installation of the unique Hydrex flexible mobdocks. These close off the thruster tunnel and allow for the creation of a dry working environment around the affected bow thruster unit. The cover of the gearbox was then removed and a detailed inspection of the entire unit was carried out. This revealed that both the oil distribution box and the shaft were damaged and that the shaft needed to be replaced in its entirety. The delivery period for a new shaft ruled out a fast in-situ repair and therefore, in consultation with all parties involved, it was decided that a repair in drydock was the best option.

The operation was supervised from inside the monitoring station, located on a work pontoon next to the vessel, by the Hydrex team leader together with a representative of the manufacturer.

All Hydrex divers are certified to perform both dry and wet welding work, which allowed the team to work in shifts and finish the operation within the shortest possible timeframe.

The owner was able to make an informed decision about whether to drydock his vessel again or not and this ensured that it was in good working order before it left for its working location.