The Indiana Harbor was sailing east on Lake Erie near Conneaut, Ohio, about two weeks ago when its crew determined that the ship had received damage to the hull below the water line.
Emergency repairs:
Crews at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair are making emergency repairs on a 1,000-foot self-unloading bulk carrier that sustained hull damage recently while sailing on Lake Erie.
What happened?
The Indiana Harbor was sailing east on Lake Erie near Conneaut, Ohio, about two weeks ago when its crew determined that the ship had received damage to the hull below the water line and needed an emergency dry docking, according to John Nekoloff, Donjon’s subcontracts manager and director of safety and environmental compliance.
The Indiana Harbor entered Donjon’s 1,350-foot dry dock at 220 East Bayfront Parkway on May 15. The vessel is 105 feet wide. Donjon’s dry dock is 130 feet wide.
32,000 pounds of steel replaced:
“We took out over 100 feet of steel on the bottom of the boat,″ Nekoloff said. “About 32,000 pounds of steel has been replaced on the starboard side. It was one section here and another section there. We don’t exactly know where the ship was when it happened, except it happened at some point. The vessel was empty and we were the closest facility to do an emergency dry docking.″
Hull damaged:
Nekoloff said the vessel’s owners, Buffalo-based American Steamship Co., did not inform him how the hull was damaged.
“There was some breach in the hull, but they were able to keep everything under control,” Nekoloff said. “It was taking on very little water.″
Donjon crews were informed on May 13 the vessel would be making an emergency stop at the 44-acre Erie shipyard. By late evening on May 14, Donjon crews had set up 280 docking blocks in the shipyard’s dry dock and had it flooded in time for the Indiana Harbor’s arrival May 15.
“We don’t do a lot of emergency repairs, but this is the first time a 1,000-footer has been on our dock since the mid-1990s,″ Nekoloff said. “They came here because we have the abilities to haul them out and we put that dock together in record time to get that vessel ready, because we weren’t prepared for that. We had to set several hundred docking blocks in order to allow that vessel to come in. That was a huge undertaking.″
Vessel specifications:
The vessel was named for the Great Lakes port at Indiana Harbor, Indiana. Built by Bay Shipbuilding Co. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, the ship was launched in March 1979 and entered service in July 1979.
With 37 hatches and seven holds, the Indiana Harbor can carry 78,850 tons at her maximum midsummer draft of 34 feet.
The vessel is used primarily for long-haul transport of iron ore pellets and western coal on the Great Lakes.
“Our shipyard made it convenient for that vessel,″ Nekoloff said. “We have the skills, we have the dry dock and we have the abilities to set up in such a short period of time to get them on dock. She came on dock without any problems. For most of the guys working here, including myself, we didn’t have a lot of experience docking 1,000-foot ships, but it was done in a record time.″
Routine maintenance carried out by crew:
Donjon crews also have performed some routine maintenance on the Indiana Harbor. Nekoloff said repair and maintenance work is expected to be completed this coming week.
“Since the vessel is out water, we inspected the propellers and shafts, and replaced the blades on the propellers just to make sure nothing was out of line,″ Nekoloff said. “Everything checked out OK. They (ship’s owners) figured that while it was in dry dock, they might as well address these issues.″
Nekoloff said the Erie shipyard currently employs about 100 full-time workers.
Donjon crews also are working on the construction of two deck barges and one crane barge for parent company and New Jersey-based marine services provider Donjon Marine Co. Inc.
Fewer repairs during winter:
The shipping industry nationwide experienced a slower winter repair season, Nekoloff said.
“It was slower in general nationwide, but we were pretty busy this winter,″ he said. “We had a couple of ships on dock, we had a tug we were doing a rebuild on for our owners, we were building barges, so we’re kind of maintaining. We still have other bids out there. We have bids in for new work, which is really good. The 100 people we employ is normal for us at this time of the year. We’re maintaining our employment levels and still able to service and help out this ship that’s on dock right now.″
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Source: GoErie
