Magnetic attraction aids Northern Divers
Northern Divers Ltd appreciated the convenience of their new Norwegian Miko magnets during a recent repair job at Immingham.
The company had the task of blanking off a sea water inlet on a DFDS container ship so that an internal valve could be replaced. This relatively straight forward job was made more challenging by the River Humber providing zero visibility and currents that can reach up to 7 knots.Northern Divers are based in Hull and have been using magnets for many years to provide anchors and reference points when working on ships’ hulls. They have become standard tools without which many tasks would be extremely difficult or costly.
The company’s managing director John Sparrowe said, ‘If we did not use magnets as anchors and for reference points, the only other way we could have done this job would have been by passing a belly line below the ship.
‘This would have been a tricky and time consuming task and it would not have been as effective as using a magnet that holds the diver close to the work area.
‘We have been using magnets for many years but have now started using those from Miko because they have the major advantage of being easy to use. They are very strong yet they can be operated with one hand which is a major benefit. This is very useful for any divers carrying tools and it makes the whole process easier and safer. ‘
During the Immingham contract, the first job was to measure the inlet so that a timber blank could be made to seal it. By attaching a Miko Magnet close to the inlet, the team from Northern Divers was able to fix a shot line to it and benefit from being able to quickly return to the job location on subsequent visits.
Northern Divers Ltd enjoys a good relationship with Oslo based Miko Marine and its UK representative, Duncan Cunningham Consultants, which supplies the magnets for divers. Miko Marine also supplies magnetic patches that can be used to seal hull openings or damage below or above the water line.
