An article in Maritime Technology reports of the pipe repair on a 200-meter roro ship done by Hydrex diver/technicians during her stop in Southampton, UK.
Leak due to corrosion damage
The vessel was suffering a leak as a result of corrosion damage to the pipe and a swift on-site solution was suggested by the company’s technical department.
The repairs were performed afloat. This gave the owner a cost-effective alternative for drydock.
While preparations for the welding work were ongoing inside the engine room a blank was installed underwater over the outlet of the damaged pipe.
Repairs afloat
The Hydrex team then disconnected a section of the overboard pipe as well as the valve. This allowed them to inspect the damaged area.
- Cavitation was discovered on the weld seam that connected the pipe to the flange. The seam needed to be rewelded completely.
- First the team ground out all cavitation on the inside of the pipe before rewelding the seam.
- After the welding was completed a dye check was carried out under supervision of the class surveyor.
- Next the same procedure was followed on the outside of the pipe.
After the weld seam had been completely renewed, the team reinstalled the detached section of the pipe and the valve. The operation ended with the removal of the blank on the outside of the hull.
Services in a short window
The Hydrex divers made sure that the service was delivered in as short a time period as possible. The ship could leave Southampton on schedule.
Overboard pipe repairs are vital for a vessel because there is a direct connection between the outside hull and the pipes.
This means that any damage to these can compromise the integrity of the hull. For this reason the classification society will very strictly monitor their condition and will demand a fast and thorough repair of the damage.
If this occurs Hydrex can offer a permanent afloat solution.
Their teams bring a high standard of care and professionalism to any operation to guarantee that a ship can sail safely afterwards.
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Source: Marine Technology
