Photo courtesy Seaspan
SHIPYARDS
The ducktail was fabricated using Vancouver Drydock’s CNC machine. contractor is bringing in materials and equipment so extra planning is required to ensure they can get quick access to what they need,” Hebson said. “The fact that we have a Panamax drydock, capable of accommodating vessels up to 220 metres, meant that we were able to use the extra space on the dock floor for staging equipment including all of the furnishings going into the staterooms and all of the old material coming off.”
A spotlight on VD’s expertise
While the reputation of Vancouver Drydock’s team has been bolstered by this recent project, other projects, both completed and upcoming, are also shining a spotlight on the capabilities of the yard. “Work on the Silver Explorer demonstrated the expertise we have when it
Photo courtesy Seaspan
addition of a new stabilizer — or ducktail — to the stern of the vessel. The piece adds buoyancy and stability while moving through the water and adds to the comfort of passengers. “The addition of the ducktail represented about one-third of the entire project,” said Hebson. “This entailed eight weeks of prep time, including pre-engineering and pre-fabrication of the ducktail in our shop before the ship arrived.” He further added that the piece was fabricated in six sections which “fit together like a glove” thanks to the significant investment Seaspan made for a CNC machine and training for staff. “Without that press, we wouldn’t have been able to meet the timeframe or cost but more importantly, it was a great demonstration of the skillset at Vancouver Drydock. This was by far the largest test of our abilities in terms of manufacturing and fabrication and it showed me just how talented a team we have here.” With about 60 staff working on the ducktail section of the project, another 140 Drydock staff replaced structural steel in the tanks; blasted and recoated the ballast tanks; changed over a lot of pipes; replaced machinery, including the installation of a new oily water separator; upgraded machinery cooling systems; overhauled the main propulsion system as well as the underwater stabilizers and bow thrusters. In addition, the Drydock welcomed 125 contractors who worked above deck on upgrades to passenger cabins. While the contractors are part of Silversea Expeditions’ support for their entire fleet, the additional work required “intense coordination” by the yard. “Each
comes to complicated projects that require a significant amount of preparation before the vessel arrives,” said Hebson. “But our investment in equipment and training is paying off for other clients as well.” As the shipping industry moves to meet upcoming IMO regulations on ballast water management systems and air emissions, Vancouver Drydock has positioned themselves as more than capable of offering solutions for both. “We installed our first ballast water system on the cablelaying vessel Ile de Batz last year and we’re currently quoting for two other similar projects. We also have the Seabourn Sojourn coming in for the installation of scrubbers in 2020,” Hebson said, adding that he expects to see more projects of this sort over the next few years. Vancouver Drydock has been operating at full capacity for the last two or three years and is already fully booked through to the end of 2019. Projects over the past year have included extensive work on American Seafoods Company’s Northern Eagle as well as Island Tug & Barge’s ITB Revolution which received new stern courses to change it over from a conventional barge to an articulated one. Given the expertise demonstrated with the Silver Explorer project, the steady pace of work already being seen at the yard and the upcoming projects that will again give Vancouver Drydock an opportunity to prove its ability to meet timelines and budgets, needless to say, Hebson is excited about the future. BCSN
With the job completed on time and on budget, the Silver Explorer leaves the yard.
40 — BC Shipping News — December 2018/January 2019