Metalock Brasil completes emergency FPSO winch repair to avert shutdown
One Metalock welding operation saving potentially millions of dollars in revenue (Source: Pavel Chernonogov, Pexels)
Metalock Brasil has carried out an emergency repair on a rescue boat winch gearbox aboard an FPSO operating in Brazil’s offshore sector, preventing an unplanned production shutdown. The critical intervention focused on recovering the CNC structural base of the equipment and was completed over a single weekend at the company’s workshop.
The work began with non-destructive liquid penetrant testing to identify cracks. Engineers then removed the damaged section of the base, measuring 200 x 100mm, before fitting a new bevelled steel plate of 100 x 200 x 20mm thickness. This was followed by controlled welding carried out in accordance with the company’s technical procedures. The team then manually finished the surfaces and re-opened two M10 threaded holes to restore the equipment’s original interface and alignment.
Following final dimensional inspection, the component was approved by the client’s technical team and immediately returned to service. Metalock Brasil said the rapid repair ensured the functional integrity of the winch system, safeguarding operational continuity and safety aboard the FPSO.
The company specialises in the repair of mission-critical marine and offshore assets and says its rapid-response capability is designed to minimise downtime and avoid costly interruptions to production.
