Gibdocks drydocks Canadian RO/RO duo

Oceanex Sanderling in Gibdock dry dock

JUNE 3, 2016 — Canadian ship operator Oceanex recently chose Gibraltar ship repairer Gibdock for the drydocking of two of its RO/RO vessels.

The 210 m long, 1,300 TEU Oceanex Connaigra arrived in Gibraltar on March 6 this year, departing two weeks later on March 20. The193 m long, 1,125 TEU Oceanex Sanderling was docked April 2 for a program of work that lasted just over a month.

The scope of work on the Oceanex Connaigra included: the removal of the CPP propeller blades, the hub and tailshaft; the installation of a new hub; and the fitting of new propeller control pipework. The existing blades had to be machined in Gibdock’s workshops before refitting to the new hub.

The shipyard was also tasked with carrying out modifications to the vessel’s exhaust gas scrubber system by replacing two bypass valves, each of which was 645 mm in diameter. This involved cropping and modifying the exhaust trunk and modifying the fuel oil module by making adjustments to the pipework.

Gibdock carried out a very different package of work on Oceanex Sanderling, which is now nearly 40 years old. This required the removal of the ship’s stern ramp, which is made up of three sections, the biggest of which weighs 93 tons. “This part of the work was an important milestone for Gibdock, involving the heaviest lift that the yard has carried out to date,” said Gibdock senior ship repair manager Paul Cano.

Once the ramp sections were disassembled and lifted ashore, the yard carried out extensive steel repairs before refitt
Gibdock also removed Sanderling’s tailshaft for survey, removed and refurbished the rudder blade, reinforced the weather deck and fitted new container sockets to allow loading of 53 ft containers. The yard overhauled bow thrusters, repaired paintwork and carried out other works associated with a general five-year survey.

While the three-year old Oceanex Connaigra is a first time visitor to Gibdock, Oceanex Sanderling was previously docked, in 2011.

Richard Beards, Managing Director of Gibdock, says: “The owner was quite clear that Oceanex Connaigra and Oceanex Sanderling were required back in service within a tight timeframe, with minimal disruption to Oceanex customers. We were delighted to be chosen for this project, and to complete two very different but equally challenging projects on time on two RO/RO ships of different ages.”