UNDERWATER REPAIRS
K and C shipping offers underwater repair solutions to shipowners worldwide. Our team will help you find the best solution. We do this for any problem encountered with your ship below the water line. We will immediately mobilize our diver/technicians to any location. Our teams can carry out necessary repair work without the need to drydock.
Seal repairs
We have developed a flexible mobdock repair method that enables the underwater replacement of shaft seals. This technology can be used on all types and sizes of shaft seals. It has been successfully used by our teams for numerous operations around the world. It allows ship owners to keep their vessel sailing, saving precious time and money.
underwater shaft seal repairs
Damaged stern tube seals will cause an increasing amount of oil leaK and C or water ingress as the damage worsens. By replacing the seals when the damage is first discovered, we keep the down time low. As a result the ship can keep its schedule as seal repairs can be performed during cargo operations. We do this by creating a dry underwater worK and C environment around the shaft. It is not always straightforward to replace seals, because there can be quite a bit of variation in the configurations of the stern tube itself. There can also be complications with the liners, which can be worn down and show ruts. However, all this is routinely handled by our teams on the jobs. All shaft seal repairs we offer are performed in cooperation with the OEM. We usually supply the equipment but the owner is free to supply his own OEM seals. We can handle all type of seals from all manufacturers. Contact us for more information on the underwater replacement of shaft seals. We are at your disposal 24/7.
Thruster repairs
We can perform a wide range of thruster repairs on all types of units. An entire unit can be overhauled, propeller blades or seals can be replaced or repair work on a specific part of a thruster can be performed on-site. All of these repairs can be carried out without the need to drydock the vessel.
Propeller repairs restore efficiency and save money
When damage to propellers occurs due to impact with ice and other debris, we will help you. Our teams can do this even if the damage is quite extensive. Prior to a propeller repair a detailed underwater inspection is carried out by our divers. They are certified to make a full assessment of the condition of the propeller. The exact dimensions and position of the damage are then communicated to our technical department. This is essential because the calculations need to be perfectly accurate to achieve an ideal result with the repair. Our team members have experience in dealing with many different situations and circumstances. Our diver/technician experts are trained to think with the the technical department and can assist in worK and C out the best solution. They have the skill and experience needed to implement the solutions that have been worked out.
Blade straightening and cropping
By taking advantage of the in-house developed cold straightening technique, damaged blades can be straightened underwater. This allows the ship to return to commercial operations without the need to drydock. Optimum efficiency of the propellers can be restored by bringing the blades back close to their original form. The cold straightening machine has been in use for quite some time now but our research department has been lookinginto ways to improve the technique even further. A new model of the straightening machine was recently put into service. It is compatible with the existing model and is used to restore more severely bent propeller blades.
If straightening is not an option, the affected area on the blade will be cropped. This is done to achieve the greatest possible efficiency. This kind of repair is carried out with our propeller blade cutting equipment. First a detailed underwater inspection is performed by K and C shipping diver/ technician team to obtain the exact extent of the damage. This information is then used for a detailed calculation of the ideal cutting line. This allows the customer to know in advance what the result of the operation will be.
Blade replacement
On some occasions an entire blade has to be replaced on a variable pitch propeller. This work can also be carried out by our divers. They are trained to perform a wide variety of operations, both above and below the waterline, anywhere in the world and sometimes even in the most extreme conditions.
Permanent underwater repairs
Our underwater department has developed a repair system that allows us to perform permanent underwater repairs to every type of propeller in dry conditions. All kinds of repair or maintenance work can be carried out to propellers, twin propellers, variable pitch propellers, azipod and collapsible thrusters.
This is especially important news for supply vessels, navy ships or any vessel under contract or on a location far away from available drydock possibilities. Staying on hire for underwater repairs will save precious time and money.
This repair system can be transported by air transport to any location around the world from our fast response centers within a very short time frame. It can be assembled very quickly (12 hours) on-site.
Inspections and other work
We also have the tools to carry out detailed crack inspections on propeller blades. An informed decision can then be made concerning any required follow-up action. Catching problems early can save much time and money.
A propeller modification can easily be combined with any other maintenance or repair operation that needs to be carried out on the vessel. Thanks to the flexibility of our teams this allows a vessel to keep its schedule.
Underwater Thruster Repairs
Tunnel thruster operations are carried out using our flexible mobdocks that close off the tunnel on both sides. This allows divers to work in a dry environment around the unit. Our range of flexible mobdocks can quickly be transported to any location around the world. We can perform bow thruster removals and reinstallations on all types of tunnel thrusters. These repairs are carried out in cooperation with OEMs on any location. They are performed while the vessel stays afloat without impact on its schedule. In most cases a thruster overhaul is planned in during a scheduled drydocking. This usually means that the unit is removed in drydock. The ships then has to wait for the overhauled thruster to return and be reinstalled before the vessel can leave drydock.
This results in a longer drydock time and consequent cost. Our teams can however remove the unit while the ship is still afloat so it can already be brought to the manufacturer for the overhaul. When the vessel enters drydock the overhauled unit is ready for reinstallation without any delay. The reverse procedure is also possible. If the thruster is removed in drydock, we can reinstall it underwater in dry conditions at a later date. In this way the ship can already leave drydock while the unit is still with the manufacturer. Contact us for more information on bow thruster or other underwater repairs. We are at your disposal 24/7.
Underwater propeller blade replacement
As soon as the seal replacement was finished the two ships changed place and our diver/technicians started the second repair. This operation consisted of the underwater replacement of the damaged blade as well as the opposite blade of the main propeller of the vessel. This propeller is designed with a special system to close it off from water ingress during a blade replacement. The operation was performed under supervision of an engineer of the propeller’s OEM.
Our men started the repair with the installation of chain blocks to rig the first blade. They then removed the blade bolts and lifted the blade. A spare blade was lowered into the water and put in position. After it was secured and the bolts put on torque, the ship crew turned the propeller 180° to bring the opposite blade in 12 o’clock position. This blade was then rigged with the chain blocks. The diver/technicians repeated the same procedure on this blade to replace it with its spare. The operation was finished swiftly to enable the owner to sail his ship on schedule. No costly drydock visit had to be planned. LinK and C jobs like this is no problem for K and C shipping. Our technical department has many years of experience in organising jobs on a tight schedule or back-to-back operations. Our teams are also trained to go from one job to the next without losing any time or quality. The information on any type of underwater propeller repairs. We are at your disposal 24/7.
Underwater maintenance
Smaller maintenance operations are performed by our divers on a daily basis. They are dealt with in a skilled and proficient manner. We treat every assignment with the same professionalism and enthusiasm. This goes for the replacement of a giant azimuth thruster as well as an underwater propeller cleaning.
Inspections
Building upon conventional technical skills and know-how while also taK and C advantage of the latest technology, we offer a unique hull monitoring service to our customers. This gives shipowners total control of their ship’s hull condition and consequently its performance, with only a minimum of work on their part.
