Gibdock Completes Offshore Vessel Upgrade

Gibraltar’s Gibdock shipyard has successfully completed a challenging maintenance and upgrade program on the 6430bhp DP2 class ROV/Subsea Service and Platform Support vessel, Toisa Vigilant. The 2005-built, 3426dwt vessel spent over three weeks at the yard in July and August this year for a diverse package of works.

As John Taylor, Gibdock production director, explains, “This project was essentially two contracts in one as we carried out separate jobs for the owner, Sealion and charterer, WesternGeco, in parallel.”

For Sealion, Gibdock undertook a series of conventional docking works, including the extensive overhaul of the MAK 8L26 main engines, the two bow thrusters and two stern thrusters. In addition the yard refurbished and repaired other parts of the vessel, including the sea valves, cranes and lifeboats, while also painting the underwater areas of the hull.

Main engine and thruster components were removed from the Toisa Vigilant and taken to Gibdock’s workshops, where an inspection, calibration and full overhaul was carried out, before being returned to the vessel. According to Mr Taylor, “This was the most challenging part of the project as we only had a limited time in which to complete work to the main engines and thrusters. We worked two shifts in parallel to make sure we got the job done in the time frame specified by the owner.”

Charterer WesternGeco contracted Gibdock to replace equipment onboard used as part of experimental seabed scanning systems. A section of deck was cropped, a transformer unit weighing around 20 tonnes was removed and a new unit installed in its place. Deck areas were reinstated, a protective cage installed around the transformer unit and additional ladders and rails fitted.

In addition Gibdock and WesternGeco worked together to develop a solution to a problem with the antenna cable, which had a tendency to get caught up when being deployed. Mr Taylor says “WesternGeco had some ideas which we were able to develop further. As a result we manufactured and installed a new roller-based system to prevent the antenna cable from snagging in future.”

Both WesternGeco and Sealion expressed themselves to be very happy with the works carried out. Indeed, WesternGeco has since booked in a vessel on its own account. The seismic survey ship Western Trident entered Gibdock for an extensive package of works, August 21st - September 8th.

Gibdock managing director, Joe Corvelli, points out that the offshore vessel segment is a key target market for the yard. “The Toisa Vigilant contract shows we can carry out work to complex offshore vessels on time and on budget,” he says. “Over the next few years the offshore vessel market is going to be an increasingly important one for the yard, given ongoing developments in the Mediterranean region, and this project shows we have the capabilities to meet very demanding client requirements in this sector.”

Photo Courtesy of Sealion Shipping Co