In water seal repair, it sounds interesting but how does it work and what preparations need to be made? Earlier we already had a blog about “In Water Survey instead of drydocking” and now we want to breakdown the in water seal repair part of the job. To get things moving, a number of actions are required and begin to move into place.
The first step is to get in touch with Lagersmit for specifications on the seal system. Drawings are required in order determine a number of factors ranging from what size habitat will be used, to what size seal system is in place in order to begin assembling the proper tools and spare parts for the repair. Subsea Global Solutions (SGS) will coordinate with Lagersmit throughout the entire project in order to maintain quality and consistency. Other arrangements need to take place, such as where the vessel will berth and what the timeframe and diving conditions look like. SGS can mobilize anywhere in the world in 48hrs to attend a vessel in need.
The initial dive will consist of an inspection to assess the extent of the repair. If the condition of the rope guard and seal rings are intact, it may be as simple as replacing the worn seals with the new Lagersmit seal. Other scenarios encountered over the years have included missing pieces of the seal box, machined housing parts whether by a detached rope guard or debris encounter underway, corroded seal assembly parts etc.
The advantages of performing an in water seal change out as opposed to dry dock are numerous, however, the biggest advantage aside from being more cost effective, is time. Depending on the vessel, an in water seal repair will be performed without interruption to the vessels itinerary. A Cruise ship will remain in service with passengers aboard while SGS is performing an in water seal repair.