Eversafe Marine successfully docked 3200T Ro-ro Vessel using Marine Bags
Eversafe Marine had successfully completed one Ro-ro cargo ship docking project with balloons (marine airbags) in Abu Dhabi U.A.E on 14th November 2012.
Eversafe Marine was invited to provide service package for this project including design, calculation and operation supervision. And the 16 m long by 2m diameters balloons deployed in this project are supplied by our group company, Evergreen Maritime.
The 130.6m vessel was needed to be beached at client's shipyard for repair. Marine airbags and winches are the main equipment used to complete the hauling out operation. After the vessel was pulled up the ramp, 1.4 m high blocks were used to support vessel manually. The vessel was then shifted to repair location by SPMT.
The docking ramp is composed of compacted natural sand and casting rocks. From the start of the ramp, 40 m long by 20 m wide area was covered by steel plates. The tide change of local sea level there is minimal, only 1 m difference with highest and lowest tide. Airbag ship docking technique takes advantage of the tidal change to insert balloons and pulling ship out of water. Little tide change caused this docking operation to be complicated and difficult.
The technical team from Eversafe Marine arrived at shipyard on 29th October. It took about 7 days to make the preparation works ready. At high tide on 6th Nov. the vessel, "MOSA" was pulled up to the ramp for 30 meters. In the late night when water dropped down, the first six balloons were inserted underneath the ship. The next day (7th Nov) the vessel was pulled ship forward for another 30 meters.
On 9th Nov all balloons were rightly positioned according as planned. At that time, the vessel was balanced by supporting balloons then the pulling job came to be easy.
On 11th Nov. the ship was fully landed on the ramp. The vessel was lifted from aft to place supporting blocks. The flexibility of marine airbags helped a lot for the block position work. People can adjust balloons pressures to lift up and low down ship easily to enable block placing and vessel level job.
On 14th Nov ship "Mosa" sat steadily on all supporting concrete blocks. Docking vessels with balloons doesn't need concrete slipway and trolley so it saves most investment and time. Till now, lightweight 6,000 tons vessel has been successfully pulled out of water with this technique.
For more information:
QINGDAO EVERSAFE MARINE ENGRG CO LTD
Dianji Industrial Park, Qingdao City.
Shandong Province China 266215
T: 86-532-84596888
F: 86-532-85502772
E-mail: [email protected]
This article was originally published on Marine & Industrial Report newspaper Vol 37 No.2 Issue last April 30,2015.
