Breaking the ice without breaking the paint... or the bank

Transcription

1 Number 170 Breaking the ice without breaking the paint... or the bank The evolution of underwater stern tube seal operations Underwater stern tube seal repairs in Algeciras and Le Havre Hydrex around the world Easy and effective underwater maintenance services around the world Hydrex & Ecospeed news White papers from Hydrex Interview with Manuel Hof, the Hydrex Quality Control Manager

2 Permanent rudder repairs now possible without drydocking Hydrex has developed an entirely new method enabling permanent repairs of rudders without drydocking the ship. Permanent repairs were hitherto not possible and ships had to drydock in case a major defect was found. The newly designed equipment is lightweight and can be mobilized very rapidly in our special flight containers. Therefore this new service is now available worldwide. Major defects on rudders very often cause unscheduled drydocking of ships. The new method designed by our technical department allows engineers, welders and inspectors to perform their tasks in dry conditions. Class approved permanent repairs in-situ, without moving the ship, are now possible and commercial operations can continue. Steel repairs and replacements can be performed and pintle and bushing defects can be solved without the loss of time and money associated with drydocking. The equipment can be mobilized within hours to any port in the world and is available for rapid mobilization from the Hydrex headquarters in Antwerp. 2

3 Table of contents Breaking the ice without breaking the paint... or the bank 5-10 The evolution of underwater stern tube seal operations Underwater stern tube seal repairs in Algeciras and Le Havre Hydrex around the world Easy and effective underwater maintenance services around the world Hydrex & Ecospeed news White papers from Hydrex ISO 9001 certified Interview with Manuel Hof, the Hydrex Quality Control Manager

4 Message from Hydrex founder Boud van Rompay plete monitoring of your vessel. You will be informed when maintenance needs to be carried out, but all practical red tape will be handled by our crew. All operations will be adapted to your vessel s sailing schedule, not the other way around. The new Hydrex magazine you hold in your hands combines what were the Hydrex magazine and the Ecospeed newsletter and builds on these to create a bigger, more extensive and more diverse magazine. We felt that the earlier magazines, while popular, no longer did full justice to the global network of Hydrex offices and support bases and the comprehensive range of products and services (including Ecospeed) that these offer to the shipping and the offshore industry. A survey of our readers confirmed that these changes were wanted. Hydrex takes care of the entire underwater part of your vessel and does this all around the world. The drawing on this page of a diver cradling a ship in his arms symbolizes this perfectly. While the drawing has been present in our magazines for a long time, we feel that its meaning has not been stressed enough. Keeping a ship in business is a very complex task that does not end at the close of an office day. For this reason all Hydrex offices are available 24/7 to assist you with all things concerning your vessel s underwater hull, whether great or small, whether emergencies or long term projects. Hydrex has over 35 years of experience with both maintenance and repair work. Maintenance work can be done as a one time underwater survey, cleaning or propeller polishing, but can also be part of a maintenance contract. These contracts take the organizational hassle out of your hands and give it to our technical department. They will do the com- While a lot of harm can be avoided by timely maintenance, damage can still occur due to collisions, grounding impact, ropes that get tangled in propellers and other disasters. In these cases Hydrex can also assist you. We have diver-technician teams on standby at all times, ready to carry out small standard repairs as well as complex and rare operations. A final aspect of how Hydrex can protect the underwater hull of your vessel is the Ecospeed durable ship coating technology. Strictly speaking, it actually is the first thing Hydrex can do for you. Although ideally done at the newbuild stage, the coating can be applied during any phase of your vessel s lifespan and will last the remainder of its sailing life. You can have the best possible protection on your ship s hull from day one through the entirety of its life. As Ecospeed is designed for regular maintenance, these operations can be carried out even faster than with other paints. The coating also has a very strong resistance against mechanical impact and will protect your vessel s underwater hull much better than regular paint systems. This brings us back to the diver holding the vessel in his arms and keeping it safe from harm. If you leave the care of your vessel s underwater hull to Hydrex you don t have to worry about it anymore and can focus again on more important matters. We hope you approve of the changes to the magazine format and appreciate your feedback, comments and contribution. After all, it s your magazine. Best regards Boud van Rompay 4 Breaking the ice without breaking the paint... or the bank ISO 9001 certified To receive a free copy, fax to: Hydrex N.V or to hydrex@hydrex.be

5 Breaking the ice without breaking the paint... or the bank Ecospeed is in a class of its own when it comes to protection of the bottom hull of icebreakers and ice trading vessels. Ice breakers and ships that trade in icy waters have their own very specific problems when it comes to protecting their underwater hull. Icebreakers have to use their force to ram into thick ice and force a passage. Ice going ships, such as those trading in the North Baltic, the northern coasts of North America, the Great Lakes, and so on, are constantly being hit by chunks of ice which may be 50 centimeters or more in thickness. Not only is the ice highly abrasive, there is the additional factor that the steel of the hull flexes under the impact. This is not a problem for ships which are simply cutting through the water. When the metal sheets that form the hull flex and bend under the impact, the paint that is supposed to protect them does one of two things. It either is flexible and adheres so well to the metal that it is virtually part of the steel itself and thus survives, or it is less flexible than the hull and cannot flex with the steel, in which case the paint gradually, or not so gradually, is forced away from the hull and rubbed away under the impact. It is a problem which is unique to boats faced with impact with ice. An icebreaker needs the smoothest and best hull coating available to break the ice. It does not need additional friction Ecospeed has proven to outperform regular abrasion resistant ice coatings caused by flaking, blistering or missing paint which simply increases skin drag and friction and reduces the ship s ability to cut through the ice. The rust build-up on bare steel where the paint has been worn away is a primary source of increased drag. Ice trading vessels need to preserve the integrity of their hull coating or they run the risk of corrosion and damage, and the resulting hull roughness increases friction and affects performance and fuel consumption. Class societies have special requirements for ice trading vessels and icebreakers. As far as the hull is concerned, this can include additional hull thickness and also, in some cases, the application of specialized coatings is recommended as an option. Copper based antifoulants and many other hull paints used in non-ice conditions are not suitable. They come off, leaving the hull unprotected and rough, have to be replaced every year, and the 5 Ecospeed protects icebreaker while it crushes thick layers of Polar ice roughness reduces the hull performance during the ice trading season. If biocidal antifoulants are used there is the additional environmental pollution as the paint is rubbed off by the ice, leaving deposits of biocides on the ice flows. There are traditional ice breaker paints. They offer better protection and adhesion and are designed to cope with the ice, but they are very difficult to apply, requiring heating to exact temperatures and specialized equipment and personnel. They are therefore very expensive.they also have poor hull performance properties, thus increasing the fuel consumption of ice trading vessels. Ecospeed has proven to outperform regular abrasion resistant ice coatings due to the size and concentration of its glass-platelets embedded in a vinyl-ester resin. Regular ice breaker paint after only one trip to the North Pole

6 Enter Ecospeed from Hydrex Ecospeed is a Surface Treated Composite (STC) consisting of a high volume of glass platelets in a vinyl ester resin which provides an impermeable protection against corrosion, and the vessel launched, the coating is conditioned in the water by divers using mechanical brush systems, and is then ready to provide years of 108 meters in length with an extreme beam of 31 meters, has a depth to upper deck of 12 meters and a displacement of 11,000-13,000 tons. She is As to the difference in performance between the conventional icebreaker paint and the Ecospeed patch; it was like night and day with Ecospeed the clear winner Stern area still in execellent condition on ice going vessel after several Baltic winters lasts the life of the hull, adheres very strongly to the steel and is flexible so that when the steel is buffeted by ice and flexes out of its normal shape, the coating flexes with it and remains intact. Composed mostly of glass, it is highly resistant to abrasion. This is even more important for vessels operating in the Antarctic zone where not only is the ice very thick and hard, but approaching the shore one also encounters increasing amounts of lava mixed in with the ice which greatly magnifies the abrasive effects. This problem is not limited to Antarctica but is very pronounced there. In addition to offering superior protection and durability in ice conditions, Ecospeed has a major advantage over traditional icebreaker paint when used on icebreakers: it is very easy to apply, not requiring highly specialized conditions, equipment and personnel as the traditional icebreaker paints do. Ecospeed requires a grit blasted hull and is then simply sprayed on in two (or sometimes three) coats with a short curing interval in between and an extended overcoat interval which allows for a more flexible application schedule.). After Ecospeed is applied protection, requiring only minor touch ups in most cases. It is very easy to clean in the water, and each cleaning results in a smoother, better performing surface. Years after its initial application, the Ecospeed coating is smoother and performs better than ever. A major plus of Ecospeed is that it has been proven to be completely non-toxic and environmentally safe, both in application and in use. Some Cases in Point Icebreaker Oden of the Swedish Maritime Association The icebreaker Oden, one of seven icebreakers operated by the Swedish Maritime Association, is designed for escort ice-breaking for Arctic (and Antarctic) research operations. Built in 1988, the Oden is a very Condition of regular paint system after impact with ice versatile vessel, able to carry scientific equipment, container labs, frozen storage, deep drilling equipment for geological purposes and so on. She is set up to carry 80 people for 100 days. Oden has a top speed of 16 knots in open water, an endurance of 30,000 nautical miles in open sea at 13 knots. Built much more for power than speed (her 4, medium speed 8-cylinder diesel engines can develop 24,500 horsepower), she can break 1.9 meter level ice at 3 knots. Mr. Erik Andersson, captain of the icebreaker Oden The Oden s Captain, Erik Andersson, recalls the problem with hull protection prior to Almost all the Swedish icebreakers used conventional icebreaker paint. When the Oden went down to Antarctica the first year, we found that icebreaking was quite different down there, especially when you get close to the coastline where there is a lot of lava sand in the ice which makes it more or less like sandpaper. Also the ice is extremely hard in those areas much harder than the ice around home, such as the Swedish coast. Due to that fact, the first year the icebreaker paint we were using was almost all more or less destroyed on the bow area so we were left with virtually unprotected steel. The Oden s bow is quite flat, extremely exposed in ice conditions and 6

7 naturally takes the first hit when ice breaking. So in 2007, in drydock in Landskrona, tests were made to compare conventional icebreaking paint with Ecospeed. Patches of each were applied to similar areas of the hull and the Oden set forth to both the Arctic and Antarctic oceans during a oneyear period of testing. When she was drydocked again, there was no question as to the difference in performance between the conventional icebreaker paint and the Ecospeed patch it was like night and day with Ecospeed the clear winner and the decision was made to coat the entire underwater hull with Ecospeed and also to do the same with the Oden s sister ship Ymer. We ve had Ecospeed on the bow for a couple of years now, continues Erik Andersson, And it s still there. It gets thinner and you can see that it s actually shaving and getting thinner, but it s still providing protection for the steel, whereas the conventional ice strength paint we were using would probably be gone by now. Ecospeed still in excellent condition during recent drydocking, despite clearly visible new dents in the shell plating paint to hinder you in the ice. You still have to use an enormous amount of power to get through it and you need all the help you can get! The results we have obtained from Ecospeed are very good and we are really happy with it. Comparative ice-strength paint on the left, Ecospeed patch on the right On an icebreaker, paint is extremely important, he explains. You re pushing through ice that s already difficult enough to break so you want your hull to be as smooth as possible without a lot of blisters and damaged Another factor commented on by the Oden s captain is the ease of application of Ecospeed. Ecospeed is so much easier to paint than conventional icebreaking paint where you need to heat to an exact temperature. With Cold straightening of severely bent propeller blades In its quest to provide cost effective services to customers, Hydrex developed procedures to address different kinds of damage to propellers. This research led to the design of the Hydrex cold straightening machines first used in By taking advantage of this technique damaged blades can be straightened underwater, allowing the ship to return to commercial operations without the need to drydock. Blades can be brought back close to their original form, restoring the propeller s optimum efficiency. The cold straightening machines have been in use for quite some time now but the Hydrex research department has been looking into ways to expand the technique even further to improve our services. A new version of the straightening machine was recently put into practice. It is compatible with the existing models and is used to restore more severely bent propeller blades to their original condition. 7

8 Ecospeed you just paint it and there are very few problems. You don t need special equipment or special people to paint it. You can more or less do it anywhere. We re really very happy with Hydrex. I was impressed by the fact that every time we painted, we had a representative from the company on site taking measurements and checking things up. Interscan Ice Trading Tramps Says Michael Tensing, Managing Director and one of the owners of Interscan of the ice going vessels, We trade normally between the Baltic and North Sea down to Gibraltar and we are trading ice every year. If you have to face ice of up to 50cm thickness or so and you have conventional paint, all the paint will be worn off. That is what was happening. Our solution was to use the cheapest paint available, no antifouling. It would be worn off every winter, and every spring we Five years later, the underwater hull coating on the Patriot is still intact. With Ecospeed the paint is so tough and resistant to ice that we only have our normal dockings and even then you only have to wash the paint and that s it had to go to drydock to paint just to have a coating on the hull. Then in 2005, one of Interscan s superintendents did some research into better solutions for underwater hull coatings and came across Ecospeed from Hydrex. Interscan decided to try It has not been replaced and only minor touch ups have been required. Now with Ecospeed the paint is so tough and resistant to ice that we only have our normal dockings every 2 to maximum 3 years and even after 2 1/2 years you only have to wash the paint and that s it, says Interscan s MD. That is quite something for us. Only touch ups required on ice-going general cargo vessel after 5 Baltic winters with Ecospeed Interscan Schiffahrtsgesellschaft mbh is a tramp owner based in Hamburg. The family owned business concentrates on the container feeding and coastal business. Of the company s fleet of 21 vessels, ranging from the 1723 ton dwt Peikko to the three 11,800 ton dwt Elena, Pauline and Melfi Cristobal, nine trade in the Baltic and face ice every year. Ecospeed on the Patriot, a 3,000 ton, 82 meter ice class E2/Finnish 1B general cargo vessel built in We saw the paint after one year of trading heavy ice and we said, That s exactly what we need for the rest of the ice classed ships, recalls Michael Tensing. Bow area before Ecospeed application 8 Based on the success with the Patriot, Interscan specified Ecospeed for the hull of four 3450 ton newbuilds added to the fleet in 2008, the Paivi, Tim, Pernille and Widor, all 82.5 meter ice class E3/Finnish 1A multi-purpose, heavy cargo vessels. Applying Ecospeed to newbuilds such as these is most economical, Mr. Tensing points out, As the steel is bare and needs to be sand-blasted anyway and there is not much extra cost in preparing for the Ecospeed coating compared to second hand ships where the old paint has to be blasted off and the surface prepared. On any newbuilding, if people are going to run their ships in the ice, they should for sure use Ecospeed. Mr. Tensing points out that the economic advantage of Ecospeed on the underwater hull increases over time. Ecospeed is guaranteed for 10 years with only some touch ups required. and after sailing with Ecospeed for a much longer period

9 If it lasts 10 years, then it s really something much better than any conventional paint, he says, considering the economics of the paint. But there is also a distinct environmental advantage. The fact that you only have to paint once in ten years, compared to the four or five recoatings that would be needed with an antifoulant, and if you view the costs of application, consider the people needed to do the job, disposal of residues required with other paints if you rip the old coat off and put a new one on, from the environmental side for sure it s a benefit. Then there is the performance factor. Mr. Tensing particularly notes that, After 5 years or after 10 years even with Ecospeed you still have only one coat on the hull, as opposed to four coats with another type of paint. The thicker the paint layer gets and the more mechanical damage there is to the paint, the performance difference becomes more and more pronounced and Ecospeed definitely shows better performance as the surface is more even and moves through the water more smoothly with its single coat. Based on their success, seven of Interscan s nine ice going vessels are protected with Ecospeed on their underwater hull and Mr. Tensing has no regrets on their decision. I would always do it again, for sure, he confirms. The British Antarctic Survey and RRS Ernest Shackleton Based in Cambridge, England, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is part of the UK s Natural Environment One of the Interscan newbuilds that was coated with Ecospeed in 2008 Research Council (NERC). For 60 years BAS has carried out most of Britain s scientific research on and around the Antarctic continent. Employing over 400 staff, BAS supports three stations in the Antarctic as well as two others on South Georgia. The BAS budget for is over 47 million, part of which goes to support its two ice strengthened ships, Ecospeed definitely shows better performance as the surface is more even and moves through the water more smoothly with its single coat RRS (Royal Research Ship) James Clark Ross with advanced facilities for oceanographic research, and RRS Ernest Shackleton, primarily a logistics ship used for resupply of the BAS stations. Each year the two ships sail from their UK base in the Humber in September or October, heading for Antarctica. After their season s operations, they return to base in the UK the following May or June. At time of writing the RRS Ernest Shackleton is sailing south for Antarctica, heading for Cape Town en route to pick up personnel, and then making her way to the BAS base, Halley. 9 RSS Ernest Shackleton was built in Norway in 1995 and began life as the MV Polar Queen, deployed in the Antarctic until she became part of the British Antarctic Survey fleet in August 1999, when she was renamed after the famous Polar explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton. RSS Ernest Shackleton is an 80 meter, 1800 ton deadweight, ice strengthened ship with a top speed of 14 knots and fuel consumption of 9.5 tons per day at 12 knots. She is very well equipped for all facets of Antarctic logistical missions as well as carrying research and scientific equipment, helicopter facilities and everything needed for a crew of up to 80 people. She is classed as a 1A1 ICE-05 icebreaker. In October 2009 the underwater hull of the RSS Ernest Shackleton needed to be repainted. Steve Brenmer, Head of Engineering at BAS, explains the situation: Previous to applying Ecospeed the vessel s hull was almost back to bare steel so anything would have been an improvement. One of the major problems that we were experiencing at the time was with the cathodic protection system, which tripped out regularly due to the lack of coating in certain areas of the hull. This is no longer a problem.

10 Ecospeed was chosen for several reasons, one of which was the recommendation of the Captain of the Oden who was very impressed with the Oden s Ecospeed coating: Our choice was based on recommendation, research and value for money. says Steve Brenmer. We obviously needed a hard wearing product with low friction characteristics. The ship transits through The Weddell Sea and encounters a significant amount of ice on the way so wear resistance is of paramount importance to us. We were also surprised at the range of conditions that the coating could be applied in. Our knowledge of ice class coatings was of coatings that had to be applied in controlled conditions, which is often very difficult to achieve. Ecospeed does not require any special conditions so makes life a lot easier when applying. Ernest Shackleton, a 1A1 ICE-05 icebreaker was coated with Ecospeed in 2009 The ship was coated with Ecospeed at the Orskov Yard in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Since this is RSS Ernest Shackleton s first season with Ecospeed. She has not yet been back to drydock, but BAS s Head of Engineering was able to report on results so far: During our recent wet berth layup we had the hull cleaned by a diving company and they reported that there was no damage that they could see. At her next drydocking in September/October 2011 we will be there to inspect and report on performance, but based on that of other ice going vessels in similar conditions, the Ecospeed coating will hold up better than any other coating available. Summary Due to its unique composition, when it comes to icebreakers and ice going vessels, Ecospeed is not only the best protection available for underwater hulls, it also provides the best hull performance and is the easiest ice going paint to apply and maintain. IN-SITU BOW THRUSTER OPERATIONS The Hydrex lightweight flexible mobdocks are designed to be easily transported around the world and are used to close off the thruster tunnel on both sides, allowing divers to perform repairs and other operations in a dry environment around the bow thruster unit. This technique enables them to reinstall the propeller blades of an overhauled thruster inside the thruster tunnel after the unit has been secured or replace the blades or seals and perform repair work on a specific part without removing the unit. Since the development of this flexible mobdock technique, numerous thruster repairs have been carried out by Hydrex diver-technicians around the world. There is no need to send the vessel to drydock as all operations can be carried out in port or while the vessel is stationary at sea. Normal commercial activities can therefore continue without disruption. hydrex@hydrex.be Phone: (24/7) Fax:

11 The evolution of underwater stern tube seal operations Early Blohm & Voss training More than thirteen years ago, in the summer of 1996, Hydrex divers carried out an underwater face seal replacement on a roro vessel. Face seal replacements had previously been practiced by our divers in the Antwerp workshop, but now they were able to actually perform this task while in the water. Since then Hydrex has constantly worked to advance the techniques used for stern tube seal repairs. In 1998 our divers completed a seal repair training course led by John Crane Marine, who also worked together with Hydrex in the testing of new developments. At the end of 1999 we successfully started working on injections with lip type stern tube seals. The next year Blohm & Voss gave our divers a training course to perform operations on their Simplex seals and in the same year we started doing tests for wet bonding on lip type seals. These tests showed us that wet bonding could only give us an 80% result compared with dry bonding. Instead of giving up on replacing lip type seals underwater, we started working on a method to avoid wet bonding and still do the seal repairs underwater. This led to the development of our unique flexible mobdock technique in 2002, which allowed us to create a 11 Face seal training with John Crane Marine

12 Training led by Aegir-Marine All Hydrex diver-technicians have received special training to carry out underwater stern tube seal repairs dry working environment underwater and took us an important step forward. For the first time it became possible to entirely replace stern tube seals underwater. In 2006 Hydrex entered into partnership with Aegir-Marine, providing us with the technical knowledge to repair or replace all the major seal types. Since then Hydrex has continued to develop the mobdock technique to adapt it to all possible situations. This technique has since been refined and can now also be used for permanent in-situ bow thruster and rudder repairs. In the last few years Hydrex divers have used the flexible mobdock technique for stern tube seal and other repairs on numerous occasions during operations around the world, resulting in winning the prestigious Ship Repair and Conversion Award at Lloyd s List Global Awards

13 Underwater stern tube seal repairs in Algeciras and Le Havre Grinding work on stern tube seal assembly prior to reinstallation of rope guard The Hydrex flexible mobdock technique was recently used to perform two underwater stern tube seal repairs. Three seals were replaced in Algeciras on a 250 meter ro/ro vessel that was suffering from an oil leak, while the aft stern tube seal assembly of a 210 meter container ship was partly repositioned in Le Havre to stop an oil blockage. Every Hydrex office has a fast response centre equipped with all the latest facilities, lightweight equipment and tools. These centers were designed specifically to increase speed of service and allowed us to mobilize divertechnician teams to both vessels, from our offices in Algeciras Bay and our headquarters in Antwerp respectively. After a thorough underwater inspection, the rope guard of the vessel in Cadiz was removed. The split ring was then disconnected and brought to the surface to be cleaned. Next the Hydrex flexible mobdock was installed around the stern tube seal assembly and a dry underwater environment Preparation for bonding of new seals 13

14 was created in which the diver-technicians could remove the damaged seals one by one and replace them with new ones. After the rope guard was removed during the operation in Le Havre the diver-technicians discovered that the oil flow through the stern tube seal assembly was blocked. This was caused by the intermediate and support rings both having been turned 180 degrees the wrong way. After the flexible mobdock was installed, the assembly was opened up and all parts were closely investigated and cleaned. This inspection revealed that all seals were in good condition but that the bonding was in bad condition. The bonding of the seals was consequently repaired after which the seal assembly was refitted the proper way. Both operations ended with the conducting of pressure tests with positive results, the removal of the flexible mobdock and the reinstallation of the rope guard. The Hydrex flexible mobdock repair technique is class accepted The ro/ro vessel needed to cross the ocean after its stop in Algeciras, but would not have been allowed entrance Hydrex diver-technician teams work around the clock if needed to carry out the repair as fast as possible 14

15 day in Le Havre. The job was completed after four days, including full rewelding of the rope guard and shifting of the vessel to another berth. In between, new divers and technicians arrived, all of whom seemed very professional and skilled in their work. We used Hydrex also the week before on this ship for a propeller polishing in Dunkerque and the response at that time was also very fast and professionally executed. Dry working environment inside the Hydrex flexible mobdock During a stern tube seal repair the rope guard and split ring are removed before the flexible mobdock is installed to any port in the United States due to the U.S. Coast Guard s very strict policies concerning environmental risks. Thanks to Hydrex s fast response, the captain could continue on his schedule with the oil leak repaired and with only a minimum of delay. The superintendent of the container ship in Le Havre was also very satisfied with the service offered by Hydrex. He said, Even after the typical late call on a Friday afternoon and even later that evening, Hydrex still managed to assemble and organize a team of divers that arrived the next All Hydrex divers have experience with working inside the flexible mobdock 15

16 Worldwide network of offices and service stations Underwater solutions avoid drydocking Offshore repair and maintenance services Fully trained and certified diver-technicians Ship hull cleaning aquipment designed specifically for offshore operations Fast response centres with instant mobilizable equipment Turnkey underwater solutions for the offshore industry Phone: (24/7) Fax: hydrex@hydrex.be 16

17 Hydrex around the world Propeller modification in Rio de Janeiro Insert repair in Rotterdam Recently Hydrex diver-technicians carried out a permanent insert repair on a 295 meter container vessel in Rotterdam in accordance with class ABS requirements. Grinding work on cropped propeller blade in Brazil When a 300 metre bulk carrier the damage, the team first performed suffered severe damage to an underwater inspection. The information acquired was then used to its propeller blades with the consequent loss of speed, Hydrex was calculate and determine the correct asked to bring the propeller s performance as close to optimum as trailing edges of the propeller in order measurements needed to modify the could be achieved during the vessel s to restore optimal efficiency. stop in Rio de Janeiro. Our technical department proposed to crop the blades to remove the vibration and in doing so to restore the propeller s performance as much as possible. After the customer accepted the plan, a diver-technician team was immediately mobilized to the vessel together with the equipment needed for the propeller blade cropping. After they arrived at the vessel a monitoring station was set up on shore. To make a full assessment of Efficiency of propeller restored as close to optimum condition as possible The actual repair job consisted of the four blades being modified one after the other by the Hydrex diver-technicians. The area to be cropped was marked out on each blade and verified. The blade was then cropped and its edge ground to give it the correct radius. When the cropping was complete, the blades were polished to make sure that any remaining loss of efficiency would be minimal. Throughout the operation, the divertechnician team remained in close communication with our technical department in Antwerp. Experts at our headquarters gave specific instructions based on their calculations so that the propeller s balance could be restored and its hydrodynamic efficiency optimized to suit the power requirements of the engine. 17 Full penetration weld performed on bottom shell plating of container vessel The operation started with the installation of an external cofferdam on the ship s hull plating after which the team could start the operation on the inboard side of the hull. Class approved permanent new insert plate The exact position of the new insert plate was marked out and the affected bottom shell plating was cropped. Next the edges of the cropped shell plating were prepared for the new insert plate. This was then fitted and secured with full penetration welding. An ultrasonic testing operator tested the welds and found them to be sound. The cofferdam could then be removed from the hull plating and the weld was inspected from the outside, concluding the repair.

18 Bilge keel cropping and propeller polishing in Antwerp Hydrex carried out a bilge keel cropping and propeller polishing on a 170 meter roro vessel during its stay in Antwerp. cracking was present in the weld between the bilge keel and the doubler plate. A new angle for the bilge keel was then calculated and the repair was Underwater inspection and blanking in Le Havre After a berthing incident had caused damage to a fast catamaran ferry, Hydrex sent a team to Le Havre to repair the damage. Cropped part of bilge keel brought to surface Underwater inspection of damage on catamaran ferry The operation started with a full inspection and cleaning of the damaged area of the bilge keel that needed to be cropped. After inspection of the damaged bilge keel it was decided to take an extra meter off from the bending point to make sure no further performed by the Hydrex diver-technicians team. After the cropping, the dive team moved to the stern of the vessel to polish the propeller. The entire job was supervised by a DNV surveyor. An underwater inspection allowed the Hydrex team to make a full assessment of the damage. The team then carried out the required blanking, much to the satisfaction of the customer who said the team carried out an excellent and really professional job! HYDREX OFFICE FULLY OPERATIONAL AT THE STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR Our Hydrex office in Algeciras, Spain offers a large variety of maintenance programs and repair works for ship owners and the offshore industry, both underwater and above water. Underwater maintenance services include hull cleanings, propeller polishings, class accepted surveys and tail-shaft wear down readings. Underwater repair work consists of propeller repairs, shell plating crack repairs, mobdock repairs, rudder pintle repairs and any type of welding work. Hydrex Spain also offers a wide range of above water operations including accomodation ladder repairs, anchor and chain work, cell guide repairs, crane repairs, hatch cover repairs and mechanical and engine works. Hydrex Spain is fully geared to carry out repairs at anchorage and in port. All operations are certified by the classification societies and are carried out by highly qualified divers and technicians all of which have extensive experience. Hydrex Spain Poligono Industrial Palmones II Calle Dragaminas Nave N Algeciras Spain Phone: (24/7) Fax: info@hydrex.es 18

19 Bilge tank repair on floating drydock in Port Blair, India When a floating dock in Port Blair suffered perforation damage, a diver-technician team was sent from the Hydrex office in Visakhaptnam to perform insert repairs on the dock s bilge tank. HYDREX WEST AFRICA IN PORT GENTIL, GABON Hydrex West Africa is situated in Port Gentil, Gabon right next to Cape Lopez Bay. Working closely together with the headquarters in Antwerp the office can benefit from Hydrex long tradition in the ship repair and offshore industry. Hydrex has two offices in India ready to mobilize immediately The new insert was installed with the Hydrex mobile drydock technique. This allowed the Hydrex team to seal off the affected area from the water and perform the class approved operation in the dry in the presence of a Lloyd s Register surveyor. Overboard pipe replacement in Stockholm Hydrex diver-technicians replaced an overboard pipe on a 240 metre cruise vessel during its stop in Stockholm, Sweden with the company s mobdock technique. Preparations for the welding work started inside the engine room while at the same time a cofferdam was installed and secured underwater over the location of the pipe. The team disconnected the inside piping and removed the old pipe and support frames from the ship s hull plating. The hull plating and new pipe were then prepared for fitting. The pipe was fitted in position and welding of the hot pass was done according to the Hydrex class approved welding procedures, connecting the overboard pipe to the ship s hull. Next the support frames were reinstalled and the remaining piping and valve were also reconnected. Port Gentil is a general and bulk cargo port. It is the only port on the Gabon coast with a bunkering service. Thanks to the sheltered environment, the bay is ideally suited for in water work. This combined with its central location on the African West sea coast makes it the ideal place to have repair or maintenance work carried out on a ship, barge or rig in optimal circumstances. Hydrex West Africa can mobilize teams immediately to service vessels and offshore units in Port Gentil or any other suitable location in West Africa. A good example of this is the recent removal, repair and reinstallation of a 40 ton swing-up azimuth thruster of an offshore crane barge that was servicing rigs in an oil field off the coast of Gabon. The entire operation was performed while the unit stayed at anchorage just outside the oil field. New overboard pipe after installation An ultrasonic test, attended by a surveyor from Lloyd s Register, was carried out with a positive result and the cofferdam was removed. Finally a visual inspection of the penetration weld was made on the outside and found in good condition, concluding the operation. 19 Hydrex West Africa Sis TLC/ Cité Shell BP 2160 Port Gentil - Gabon Phone : (24/7) westafrica@hydrex.be

20 Permanent insert repair on bulk carrier in Virginia, U.S.A. Hydrex was contacted to carry out permanent insert repairs on board a bulk carrier that had suffered several cracks in the shell plating of its ballast tanks. In total three new insert plates were installed while the vessel was berthed in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A.. A diver-technician team with equipment was mobilized from the Hydrex office in Clearwater, Florida, to Norfolk. When the team arrived on site with two locally constructed tailor-made cofferdams, they carried out both an onboard and an underwater inspection of the damaged area. Next they removed the part of the bilge keel covering the damaged Hydrex has two fully staffed offices in India. One in Mumbai and one on Visakhapatnam, covering the East and the West Coast of India. Equipped with a complete array of Hydrex diving and repair equipment, both offices are ready to carry out any necessary repair and maintenance work and provide preventive as well as problem solving services. Hydrex mobdock ready for installation areas. After the designated ballast tanks were declared gas free, the team prepared and set up all the equipment for the inside work. The divers positioned the first cofferdam on the in-water side of the hull over the first location. Next the old shell plating was removed and a HYDREX OFFICES IN INDIA READY TO MOBILIZE Edge preparation for installation of new insert new insert was installed and secured with full penetration welding. The first cofferdam was then removed and positioned over the second crack while at the same time the second cofferdam was installed over the location of the third and final cracked area. The team then removed the shell plating at both locations and positioned and secured a second and third new insert following the same procedure. All operations will be carried out by professional Hydrex teams, trained and qualified to perform complex technical tasks underwater. All procedures are fully approved by all major classification societies. Hydrex Mumbai Phone/Fax: (24/7) mumbai@hydrex.be Hydrex Vishakhapatnam Phone/Fax: (24/7) vishakhapatnam@hydrex.be One of the inserts after full penetration welding A surveyor from the American Bureau of Shipping who was on site then tested all three inserts with ultrasonic testing equipment and approved the work. 20

21 Easy and effective underwater maintenance services around the world Throughout the years Hydrex has invested in the development of underwater maintenance services that are offered on a global basis through a network of offices and stations for underwater maintenance strategically located around the world. Based on your sailing schedules, these operations will be planned and organized by the Hydrex technical service teams and will be tailor made to fit your and your vessel's needs. This makes it possible for you to have underwater inspection, cleanings, propeller polishing or any other maintenance work carried out whenever you need it, where you need it and without any organizational hassle. Underwater surveys and inspections Building upon conventional technical skills and know-how, while also taking advantage of the latest technology, Hydrex offers a unique hull monitoring service to its customers. All maintenance operations are fully monitored onshore This makes it possible for you to be in total control of your ship's hull condition with only a minimum of work on your part. The hull monitoring program developed by Hydrex allows you to easily keep track of all the vessels under your care. Regular inspections and maintenance of these vessels is an integral part of the program. The entire planning and organization of these operations is handled by Hydrex and is tailored to fit the needs of each specific ship. Carrying out preventative cleaning and other maintenance actions keeps a vessel in the best condition possible and will even allow you to increase Heavy fouling on hull revealed during underwater survey 21 Diver performing an inspection

22 the optimum performance of the ship over time as more data becomes available through the hull monitoring program. Underwater ship hull cleaning Hydrex has been at the forefront of underwater hull cleaning equipment development for many years and now offers an international service that can return underwater ship hulls to their peak efficiency. units provides the efficiency and durability demanded by the harsh underwater environment. All systems are carefully constructed to minimize damage to the underlying paint layers while still removing all types of fouling. This restores a vessel s performance as closely as possible to its optimum condition. All Hydrex offices and service stations are equipped with multiple sets of these hull cleaning units which can Propeller blades prior to polishing increase in the propeller torque, thereby lowering the propulsive efficiency. Research carried out with a propeller performance analysis tool showed that significant losses resulting from blade roughening can be regained by thorough cleaning and polishing of the blades. Hydrex diver during underwater hull cleaning operation be mobilized rapidly to any port. All divers are trained to achieve the fastest possible cleaning rates without jeopardizing the high quality Hydrex is famous for. Equipment prior to underwater hull cleaning operation on ultra large container vessel Hull cleaning at nearly every location can be performed quickly and effectively. One example of this is the entire Baltic and Mediterranean area which can be serviced almost immediately thanks to partnerships within the Hydrex service network. The unique design of the Hydrex series of underwater hull cleaning The value of regular underwater propeller polishing Research has shown that propeller fouling can quickly reduce available horsepower by 20%. While rough propellers can be as destructive of fuel economy as rough hulls, the remedy is much cheaper. In economic terms, a high return for a really low investment can be obtained by propeller maintenance. The predominant effect of increased roughness of propeller blades is an Hydrex diver during propeller blade polishing It is therefore advised to perform propeller polishing at regular intervals to avoid losing propulsion efficiency and to keep the propeller in optimum operational condition. 22

23 Hydrex and Ecospeed news New operational manager for Hydrex Spain Hydrex at Offshore Energy 2010, Den Helder Last month, Hydrex and Ecospeed were represented at the third Offshore Energy exhibition at the Old Navy Yard Willemsoord in Den Helder, the Netherlands. New Operational Manager for Hydrex Spain, Pierre Klein (far right), with his team Hydrex is proud to announce all activities of the office and will the appointment of Mr. Pierre take care of the communication lines Klein as the new operational manager for our office in Algeciras, Spain. offices around the between Hydrex Spain and the other world. Mr. Klein, who has many years of experience in the diving industry and with Hydrex, will be supervising He can be contacted through the 24/7 service of the office at or through Oil and Gas Africa Summit September 2010 From September 28 th 30 th 2010, Mr. Alex Meerbergen, General Manager Hydrex West Africa, took a contributing role in the Oil and Gas Africa Summit in the La Palma Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana. Alex Meerbergen, General Manager Hydrex West Africa During the summit, senior Exploration and Production delegates from the African Oil and Gas market gathered to listen to representatives of a small selection of companies. Each company was given the opportunity to present the technological solutions their company has to offer for the most pressing demands of the African offshore industry. After these presentations, business meetings and round table discussions were held, all with the advancement of the African Oil and gas market in mind. Ecospeed Sales Manager Veerle Thiré (right) together with our agent for the Netherlands, Mr. Jeroen Veraart Offshore Energy focuses on the international offshore, oil, gas and energy market and is one of the few offshore events which combines an extensive exhibition with a conference program on the latest developments and markets in the offshore industry. For Hydrex the event was a perfect opportunity to provide the attending decision makers in the offshore, dredging and (wind) energy industries with information about the services Hydrex can offer them. 23

24 Hydrex officially authorized to carry out underwater hull cleaning operations in Algeciras with new in-house developed reclaim system Thanks to the new approved Hydrex reclaim system that prevents fouling from spreading in the environment during underwater cleaning operations, the Port of Algeciras authorities have specifically authorized the company to perform underwater hull cleaning operations in Algeciras on vessels both alongside the quay and at anchorage. The Hydrex Spain office is equipped with four full sets of the in-house developed hull cleaning units with this new reclaim system which can be mobilized rapidly to any port. All divers are trained to achieve the fastest possible cleaning rates without All offices are equipped with several sets of the Hydrex underwater hull cleaning equipment losing the high quality Hydrex is known for. If required, both dive support boats can be equipped with two three-brush Typhoon hull cleaning units, allowing for a total of four units in the water working non-stop. This combined with the extremely fast hull cleaning rate of the Typhoons enables Hydrex divers to clean even the largest vessels in a very short timeframe. FULLY OPERATIONAL IN NORTH AMERICA Hydrex US is prepared to mobilize immediately and is capable of efficiently servicing offshore units and ships calling ports in Canada, North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. Saving significant amounts of time, trouble and expense through its on-site work, Hydrex services range from a complete review of a vessel s external condition all the way through to highly technical major repairs or replacements of a ship s external underwater equipment and machinery. Repairs to thrusters, propellers, rudders, stern tube seals, damaged or corroded hulls and all other underwater services Hydrex US 604 Druid Rd, Clearwater, FL are done by professional teams trained and qualified to carry out complex technical tasks underwater while the vessel is in-situ. Phone: (24/7) Fax: info@hydrex.us 24

25 Ecospeed on tow boat in excellent condition after 1.5 years Recently tow boat M/V Salvation came into drydock one and a half years after the underwater hull of the vessel was coated in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, USA. The Ecospeed underwater hull coating was still in outstanding condition, much to the satisfaction of the customer. The vessel, which has been operating on the Mississippi River and along the coast of Louisiana, is the first of its kind to take advantage of the Ecospeed coating which offered it excellent protection against corrosion and mechanical damage. Ecospeed is a tough, glass-like isolator which Tow boat given Ecospeed protection during its newbuild phase in 2009 is virtually impenetrable and has a unique mechanical strength which protected M/V Salvation against sludge or the grinding impact of sand while sailing on the muddy Mississippi River and along the coast. CLASS ACCEPTED UNDERWATER STERN TUBE SEAL REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY Using our flexible mobdock method to create a dry underwater environment, we have carried out stern tube seal repairs and replacements underwater for some years now in cooperation with top specialist suppliers. Hydrex at Techyard 2010, Mumbai This technology brings drydock conditions to the ship rather than having to take the ship to drydock, saving a considerable amount of time and money in doing so. Hydrex representative and project leader Stijn Janssens (right) meeting with the Indian Minister of Defense Mr. M.M. Pallam Raju (left) and a delegation of high representatives of the Indian Navy (middle) In October Hydrex took part in the Techyard 2010 exhibition. The event was held at the prestigious Nehru Centre in Worli, a region of South Mumbai. The Naval Dockyard, Mumbai has for the last few years held an annual technical exhibition bringing together Indian firms dealing with naval and marine equipment. In the dockyard s 275th year it significantly improved the format of the exhibition by moving the fair to the Nehru Centre and broadening the exhibitor field considerably. During the event the Hydrex booth was visited by the Indian Minister of Defense, Mr. M.M. Pallam Raju and a delegation of high representatives of the Indian Navy with whom Hydrex has a long term maintenance and repair contract. They selected the Hydrex booth as one of only five to visit. This class accepted method is performed by our diving teams under our warranty. It can be used while the ship is carrying out its usual cargo or other commercial operations in port. Visit the special stern tube seal repair section on our website for more information and examples of the many seal repairs we have performed in recent years. Phone : (24/7) Fax: hydrex@hydrex.be 25

26 SHIP HULL PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY Ecospeed ship hull performance technology lasts the lifetime of the vessel. The need for full repaints during future drydockings is eliminated. An impermeable and extremely tough coating is combined with an underwater cleaning system keeping the hull roughness at an optimum level and resulting in a major saving in fuel. a Ecospeed is a 100% non-toxic technology and is guaranteed for 10 years. Its surface texture will improve over time with regular inwater hull maintenance. Phone: Fax: info@ecospeed.be 26

27 White papers from Hydrex Hydrex is publishing a series of White Papers covering aspects of underwater hull maintenance, repair, coatings and other related information. These White Papers will cover the state of the industry, best practices, problems and solutions. They are intended to inform anyone who has an interest in ship hull protection and performance, from offshore to navies and governments, cruise ships, general cargo, VLCCs and so on. h. Reducing CO 2 emissions through hull maintenance. i. Underwater hull corrosion and cavitation protection. j. Protection of the bottom hull for icebreakers and ice-going vessels. When published, these White Papers will be available for digital download from the Hydrex and Ecospeed websites and will also be available in hard copy form if requested. Abstract Ships have always been subject to hull fouling, marine microorganisms that attach themselves to the hull and if not attended to, build up from light slime to thick layers of barnacles and other aquatic species. This fouling can seriously affect the hull s performance, increase the weight of the vessel, greatly reduce the ship s speed, increase fuel consumption by 40% or more. Examples of subjects that will be covered: a. Ship Hull Maintenance in the Post-TBT Era, An Overview: How to obtain huge savings while improving hull performance and minimizing environmental impact. (AVAILABLE NOW) b. The Slime Factor How to save 25% on fuel costs through advanced hull maintenance technology. c. In-water hull cleaning pros and cons. The best approach to protecting the marine environment from toxins and non-indigenous aquatic species. d. The Marine Invasion How to prevent the harmful spread of non-indigenous aquatic species. e. Extending drydock intervals. How to save costs and downtime by minimizing drydock time and maximizing drydock intervals. High speed docking. f. The Dangers of Biocides in Antifouling Paint. Protect our oceans with non-toxic underwater hull coatings. g. 90 month drydocking interval. Eliminating the need to repaint. We welcome feedback and suggestions, including ideas for subjects you would like covered that would be of value. The first of these White Papers is now available. It is entitled Ship Hull Performance in the Post-TBT Era An Overview. The Introduction to this White Paper is reproduced here. The full White Paper is about 20 pages so too long to reproduce in full in this magazine. You can download the full White Paper from the or websites. You can also subscribe to the White Papers on a regular basis and receive each new one as it is published. WHITE PAPER Ship Hull Performance in the Post- TBT Era An Overview How to save money while improving hull performance and minimizing environmental impact. This problem was thought to have been solved by the use of antifouling paints which leach poisons known as biocides to kill the marine growth. However, tributyl-tin, the most effective of these biocides, was found to be so harmful to the marine environment that it was banned and ceased to be used in Its replacement, copper leaching antifouling paint, is less effective but is also under close scrutiny as it too is harmful to the marine environment. The problem has been compounded as a result of research into the transport, via ship hull fouling, of non-indigenous species which invade foreign ports and waters and harm the local marine ecology. Non-biocide leaching paints exist and are being developed. Silicone based coatings are delicate and therefore not suitable for in-water cleaning. They also pose environmental hazards of their own. The ideal solution would meet the following criteria: Provide maximum protection against corrosion and cavitation 27

28 for the lifetime of the vessel without the need for repainting. Be cost efficient, not only in terms of being economical to apply and maintain, but also in terms of saving fuel costs, reducing out-of-operation or off-hire time for the vessel, requiring minimal dry-docking time and not needing to be replaced during the lifetime of the ship. Not harm the marine environment in any way. This includes not leaching any biocides or harmful substances, and also acting to prevent the spread of non-indigenous species. The solution must be non-toxic, contain no biocides, not harm the marine environment or the food chain. Result in improved performance with underwater hull cleaning, thus increasing hull efficiency and fuel consumption over time. Make fast, easy, in-water ship hull cleaning a reality. Be easy to apply and to maintain. Reduces time in drydock. The closest to this ideal available today is a resin-based glass platelet coating on the hull, combined with regular underwater hull cleaning which can be performed economically and efficiently. The coating lasts for the lifetime of the ship without needing to be reapplied. It is entirely safe environmentally and is easy to apply and maintain. The White Paper discusses in detail the various problems related to underwater ship hull protection and maintenance, and how best to deal with these problems in order to maximize performance and minimize harm to the environment while saving potentially huge sums of money in the process. Essential reading for anyone who is responsible for performance, protection, and economy of ships or fleets. To download the entire 20 page White Paper visit or ISO 9001 certified 28

29 Acquiring and maintaining certificates An interview with Mr. Manuel Hof, Hydrex Quality Control Manager For an international company such as Hydrex, having the right certificates and maintaining them is very important. Not only is it a fast and easy way for customers to know that we are approved by the classification societies and fulfill all international standards, it also is a clear confirmation of our constant effort to offer the highest possible safety and quality standards to our customers. We sat down with Manuel Hof who is the Quality Control Manager for Hydrex to talk about the requirements for receiving and maintaining certificates. First we asked Mr. Hof about working with ISO to get their certificates. Can you briefly explain what ISO is exactly? MH: ISO stands for International Standardization Organization. The organization has a network of national standards institutes in 163 countries to coordinate their worldwide functioning. They contribute to making the development, manufacturing and supply of products and services more efficient, safer and cleaner by implementing universal standards that safeguard consumers and users of products and services in general, as well as making their lives simpler. What standards are there and for which does Hydrex have a certificate? MH: ISO issues many different standards with a different focus. Hydrex has an ISO 9001: 2008 certificate, like all ISO 9001 standards it deals with quality management. Other examples are the ISO standards which deal with environmental management Hydrex Quality Control Manager Manuel Hof or the ISO 8000 series which handle data quality. Does obtaining an ISO certificate require the fulfillment of a lot of demands? MH: The customer is the main focus for ISO. Throughout the entire process of verification they keep his or her benefits in mind. The two most important aspects are customer satisfaction on the one hand and possible enhancements that can be to the customer s advantage on the other. ISO reasons that there is always room for improvement. This is a very good point of view in my opinion, which coincides with the Hydrex company policy. How is the continuing fulfillment of the imposed conditions checked? MH: A certificate is valid for three years. Every nine months an ISO approved surveyor visits the company and goes over our files. He makes sure that all conditions are still fulfilled and discusses the improvements that have been made since the last visit. These interim visits take one day. After three years a more extensive check is performed before the certificate is renewed for a new period. Who carries out these surveillance visits? MH: Each classification society as surveyors who are qualified by ISO to carry out these visits. As a company you can choose which class you contact to handle your file. It is the same surveyor who does all the surveillance visits for your company. He therefore as a very thorough knowledge of your case and can easily follow up on it every nine months. Hydrex also has a VCA certificate. Is it similar to the one handed out by ISO? MH: VCA is a Dutch organization. The name stands for Veiligheid, gezondheid en milieu Checklist Aannemers. Literally this means safety, health and environmental ISO implements universal standards that safeguard consumers as well as making their lives simpler checklist for contractors. The focus on safety makes it is a very important certificate to have for an underwater contractor such as Hydrex. It is a very clear indication for customers that both safety and the environment are a priority for us. Is the procedure for obtaining the certificate comparable to ISO one? MH: Sort of. It is also valid for three 29

30 own surveyor to make sure that you live up to their specific requirements. They only visit when you need to renew your certificate, however. This is every three or four years, depending on the class. Does Hydrex have other certificates issued by the classification societies? MH: Yes. Most of our repair procedures are class approved as well. While this is not mandatory to perform temporary repairs, it is required if you want the class to recognize your repair as permanent. This is very important for the customer as it allows him to sail his vessel without condition of class imposed. Do all Hydrex divers have the same certificates? MH: Hydrex is a fast growing company with offices worldwide. Still we keep a list of certificates that we demand all our divers to obtain before we allow them to perform underwater operations. On this list of course is a professional diving certificate, but also a welding and an offshore training certificate. years, but their surveyors come once a year. As the name tells us, there is a very strict checklist. This list contains twenty questions to which we need to be able to give a positive and verified answers during every visit. Besides ISO and VCA, Hydrex is also certified by all major classification societies. How important are those for a company such as Hydrex? MH: Very. Without their certificate a class will not recognize an underwater inspection carried out by our divers. The reasoning behind this is very simple. In comparison to an inspection in drydock, class surveyors can only monitor an inspection in our on-shore diving station. They cannot go into the water for an up close surveillance. The class therefore needs to be sure that the inspection is carried out to their standards. Is it an advantage to be ISO approved when trying to acquire a class certificate? MH: Yes. While it is not necessary to have an ISO certificate, it does allow you to skip the first part of the checklist as this covers the same topics as Why is this? MH: Because we want to offer our customers the best possible quality and at the same time the fastest possible response. This means having certified and experienced divers ready for all kinds of jobs all around the world. If for instance the owners of an offshore platform stationed in the Gulf of Mexico or in Gabon We want to offer the best possible quality and at the same time the fastest possible response the ISO. This speeds up the process of getting approval from all the major classes. How is that? MH: While most classes are part of the same group, each one sends their needs our assistance, we want to be able to send a team to their vessel immediately without losing time by having to send our divers for training first. Thank you for the interview. 30

31 EASY AND EFFECTIVE UNDERWATER HULL CLEANING AROUND THE WORLD Throughout the years Hydrex has invested in the development of underwater hull cleaning equipment and now offers an international service that can give ships back their efficiency. This quick and effective service is offered on a worldwide basis through a network of underwater hull cleaning stations strategically located around the planet. All Hydrex underwater hull cleaning units are carefully constructed to minimize the occurrence of damage on the underlying paint layers while still removing all types of fouling. This restores a vessel s performance as close to its optimum condition as possible and offers ship owners a considerably saving in fuel. All Hydrex offices and service stations are equipped with multiple sets of these hull cleaning units which can be mobilized rapidly to any port. All divers are trained to achieve the fastest possible cleaning rates without losing the high quality Hydrex is known for. 31

32 Keeping ships in business Hydrex underwater technology and services provide high quality solutions to the repair and replacement problems encountered by ships and offshore vessels. We deliver a complete line of services that may reduce or avoid off-hire time entirely. From major projects to simple inspections, Hydrex has the worldwide facilities and capability to meet your demands. Drydocking is not necessary so time, trouble and expense are saved by doing work in-situ. Hydrex services cover highly technical major repairs or replacements of a ship s external underwater equipment such as thrusters, propellers, rudders, stern tube seals and damaged or corroded hulls. Headquarters Hydrex N.V. - Antwerp Phone: (24/7) hydrex@hydrex.be Hydrex Spain - Algeciras Phone: + 34 (956) (24/7) info@hydrex.es Hydrex LLC - Tampa, U.S.A. Phone: (24/7) info@hydrex.us Hydrex West Africa Port Gentil, Gabon Phone: (24/7) westafrica@hydrex.be Hydrex India - Mumbai Phone: (24/7) mumbai@hydrex.be Hydrex India -Vishakhaptnam Phone: (24/7) vishakhapatnam@hydrex.be