Two fast repairs on bulk carriers

The first was berthed in Setubal, Portugal. To prevent the cracks from spreading further, a Hydrex team first drilled crack arrests. Next they fitted doubler plates to each of the areas and welded them with a full penetration weld.

To meet the DNV class requirements, extra brackets were installed on the largest doubler plate (measuring 1,400mm by 800mm). The vessel could then sail safely until the next scheduled dry docking, where permanent repairs are to be carried out.

The same owner asked Hydrex to perform a permanent insert repair, this time in Tarragona, Spain, on another of his vessels, a 113m bulk carrier which was also under DNV classification.

A 720mm crack had been found on the vertical side of the port side ballast tank as well as a nearby 2,400mm crack on the longitudinal frame. Unfortunately, heavy corrosion damage was also discovered around both of these areas. Because the damage was located in a high stress region, a specially designed cofferdam was installed over the affected region. A 2,400mm by 400mm area was then cut away and replaced with a new insert. After the insert had been secured, ultrasonic testing was used to make sure the repair work had been successful.

The owner was very satisfied with the operations, as they allowed him to keep both ships on schedule.