Historic shipyard equipment sails for India

During its 145 year existence, Swan Hunter built more than 1,600 ships, with the record breaking ‘Mauritania’ prominent amongst many fine ships of almost every type and size.

Much of the equipment from Swan Hunter will be reinvigorated and continue to operate in India. Vanguard Shipping has been project managing the transfer of equipment to Bharati Shipyards in that country. Ted Scurr, director at Vanguard Shipping said, ‘This project began in 2007 and has involved dismantling, packing and shipping all of the associated items from the Swan Hunter shipyard to Dahbol in India.’

Transferring the remaining cranes, equipment and floating drydock at Swan Hunter is no mean feat and requires the specialist heavy lift vessel the ‘Osprey’, which has arrived on the Tyne.

The Osprey is a semi-submersible heavy lift vessel and the operation will involve submerging the main deck of the vessel some 3m below water level, leaving only the accommodation and forecastle superstructures above the river to act as buoyancy. This will then allow the Swan Hunter dry dock to float into position ready for lifting as the vessel arises.

This is a complicated operation as Mike Nicholson, Harbour Master at the Port of Tyne explained, ‘When submerged to accept the floating drydock, the Osprey will be some 15.4m o deep. As far as I am aware this is the deepest any vessel has ever been on the Tyne while still floating.’

The operation is complex and demanding and will require much cooperation between the interested parties. At a recent meeting some 15 staff from eight different organisations attended to plan the complex manoeuvre. On the day of the loading this cooperation will be vital, as Port of Tyne pilots, Svitzer tugs and Vanguard Shipping representatives guide the dock and deliver it to the waiting ship. At that time the ship’s staff, assisted by a team from Offshore Heavy Transport & Fairstar, will take charge of the final positioning over the deck of the semi-submerged Osprey. Once in position, the intricate deballasting operation will raise the Osprey main deck (and in turn the dock) above the water.

The Osprey will be berthed at the Port of Tyne’s Riverside Quay for the loading operation. Due to demands on berthing space it will probably then move across the river to Northumbrian Quay, where a further 24 hours will be required to securely fasten the dock and its equipment to the ship. Once secured and fit for sea the Osprey will then set sail for India.