The underwater propeller repair operations on three different vessels in Spain, Portugal, and Denmark demonstrate the operational capabilities of Hydrex teams in this field. Damage to propeller blades can severely impact a vessel's performance, highlighting the importance of timely repairs.
Repair of a Cargo Ship's Propeller in Spain
The Hydrex team was dispatched to Gijón, Spain, to perform necessary repairs on a 190-meter cargo ship. Inspections revealed that four propeller blades of the vessel had suffered significant damage. The tips of the blades were bent at angles between 20 and 45 degrees, but no signs of cracking were observed. Therefore, the cold underwater repair method was chosen for this operation.
Divers used specialized Hydrex equipment to restore the damaged sections to their original shape. This method allows them to perform necessary repairs without the need for heat or removing the propeller from the vessel. Ultimately, after straightening the blades and conducting a final inspection, the operation was successfully completed.
Propeller Repair and Balancing in Portugal
In a different operation in Caniçal, Madeira, Portugal, a team was present to repair the propeller of a 63-meter cargo ship with four damaged blades. One of the blades had lost a significant portion of its tip, and cracks were also observed alongside the damaged area. Before starting the repair, divers had to clean the propeller from marine contaminants.
The damaged blade was cut along a 574-millimeter cutting line to remove both the damaged section and the adjacent cracks. To maintain the balance of the propeller, an equivalent section of the opposite blade was also cut. This careful planning allowed for the removal of the damaged sections while preserving the propeller's balance.
Severe Damage to a Tanker's Propeller in Denmark
Another challenging operation took place in Skagen, Denmark, where a team was dispatched to inspect and repair the propeller of a 250-meter crude oil tanker. Four blades of the tanker were severely damaged, with one of the tips bent more than 90 degrees and three other blades losing parts of their tips.
Given the severity of the damage, blade cutting was chosen as the repair method. A team from Antwerp was sent to the vessel's location and conducted thorough inspections using a workboat. The repair plan included removing equivalent sections from the opposite blades to maintain the propeller's balance. Precise measurements of the roots of the blades were taken to accurately determine the cutting lines.
This operation underscores the importance of precise measurements and careful planning when faced with extensive damage to a propeller. Repairs must be carried out in a way that considers the entire propeller as a complete system, rather than treating each blade individually.
