For Immediate Release – May 17, 2015:
Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. (Phoenix) A Hong Kong flagged bulker was in trouble. Outbound from Baltimore, with 108,000 metric tons of coal for an Asian client, the crew couldn’t control her heading. The 134,000 ton, 254 meter long vessel would not respond properly to helm orders and was a hazard to herself and other ships. A diving inspection revealed the problem. The ship’s massive rudder had rotated relative to the rudder stock. While indicating a centerline position in the steering gear room and on the bridge, the rudder was actually over 25 degrees to starboard. With no drydock available to take the laden ship, and voyage-delay charges mounting, her owners needed a fast waterborne repair solution.
Enter Phoenix under contract to primary ship repair yard Marine Hydraulics International (MHI). While MHI made arrangements via a local agent to partially lighter the ship so that she could be towed to a lay berth at Baltimore’s Sparrows Point, Phoenix mobilized a team of divers and equipment to Baltimore from their Norfolk, VA and Ft. Lauderdale, FL facilities. Over the following days, working in near zero visibility conditions under the direction of Diving Supervisor Errol Gritten, the Phoenix team:
- Removed three rudder nut access plates (36 mm steel welded into place with 8mm backing that was arc-gouged out).
- Inspected and recorded initial “as-found” conditions and measurements of all rudder components including the hydraulic nut, stock, and pintle.
- Used a class-approved procedure to weld multiple 60-ton capacity padeyes onto the rudder and hull to support the 47-ton rudder once lowered off the stock taper, and for re-positioning to the centerline.
- Rigged weight support and centering chainfalls between the rudder and hull padeyes port and starboard.
- Arc-gouged off the hydraulic rudder nut keeper bar.
- Through judicious application of hydraulic pressure to both the rudder nut bellows and stock taper annulus and diver muscle on the rudder wrench, loosened the nut and slid the rudder off of the stock taper until it was suspended by chain falls.
- Pulled the rudder to exact centerline using the athwartship chainfalls.
- Pushed the rudder back up the taper with hydraulic pressure supplied to the nut bellows and relieved in the taper annulus.
- Used the rudder nut wrench and a micrometer to pull the rudder up the taper the required axial distance and demonstrate that the correct (seating) had been achieved.
- Welded the rudder nut keeper bar back into place.
- Removed the chainfalls.
- Measured and documented the “as-repaired” condition of all rudder components.
- Stood by while the vessel completed successful sea trials.
- Welded the access covers back into place using another class-approved weld procedure.
On the day the last diver exited the water, Phoenix provided a comprehensive repair report to the vessel superintendent that satisfied the client, the attending Lloyd’s Register surveyor, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The bulker departed Sparrow’s Point on the following day to re-load lightered coal and complete her interrupted voyage.
Phoenix is an employee-owned, ISO 9001-2008 Management System certified marine services contractor providing manned and unmanned underwater solutions, design engineering, and project management services to a diverse set of clients worldwide. Expertise is available from seven regional offices in the areas of wet and dry hyperbaric welding, Nondestructive Testing (NDT), subsea engineering services, conventional and atmospheric diving, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and other robotic systems. Our capabilities are directed to underwater inspection, maintenance, and repair; deep ocean survey, search and recovery operations; submarine rescue; construction; subsea tieback; plug and abandonment; subsea mining; archaeological; and documentary projects.
For further information please contact Patrick Keenan (pkeenan@phnx-international.com) Tel: (301)341-7800 or view our web site: www.phnx-international.com