Damen completes complex
diving support vessel repair

TechnipFMC’s diving support vessel, Deep Arctic, has undergone an extensive class renewal docking at Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam. The 156m-long vessel required the renewal of steel plates to its box coolers in the forward, midships and aft sea chests. Replacing the steel also required the cropping of old sea chest plates and their replacement with new plates prefabricated in the company’s workshops.   
Other work included the blasting and painting of the ship’s hull and ballast water, forward and cofferdam tanks, as well as the refurbished sea chests and 16 additional sea chests. Six thrusters – including tunnel, retractable and azimuth units – were overhauled, involving the presence of original equipment manufacturers including Rolls-Royce, and the ship’s propeller shaft and centre line rudder also underwent a ten-year repair. The ship’s gangway, cranes and helideck were also refurbished.
The project involved the issue of 2198 work permits, an indication of the complexity of the project and the wide range of individual repairs that were required. Despite the challenges of this repair project, however, Damen completed the ship’s repair successfully and the Deep Arctic was redelivered to its owner on time.