Dockyard attracts super luxury yacht for repairs

Titan Fleet Management, France a specialist yacht management company places confidence in Colombo for their repair requirements on super luxury yacht Lauren L. This seven star category 90 meter long yacht called in for repairs on 1 February.

The luxury yacht called in for her 10 year class survey repairs coupled with hull surface preparation and coating to meet a yacht finish. Colombo Dockyard was selected after few rounds of negations and site visit by Titan Fleet Management Fleet Manager Nick Sevier and Eclipse Marine, Thailand Refit –Repair/ Project Management Consultant Duncan McGregor to ascertain yards capability to handle the project. The Colombo shipyard was the best option for the owners/ managers given the full service facilities available in Colombo, coupled with yachts last operating area in Maldives. Colombo was strategically placed to handle the vessel comfortably.  

The speciality of this project was the approach required differed slightly from a routine commercial vessel, with more focus on teams working on board giving attention to minute details on the work. Vessel arrived in the yard on 31 January and shifted into drydocks for her repairs main scope of repairs. The repairs were on schedule within 40 days.

During this drydocking call the work package covered repairs in all sectors;

Propeller tail shaft withdrawn and seals changed with new chrome liners. Oil samples from Stabiliser, BT, AT CPP were laboratory tested and operational testing was carried out as per GL. Calibrations on rudder flap mechanism, anchor cables, certification on all FFA and LSA equipments, life boat falls, crane falls, gangways, five yearly inspection of life boats, servicing of sprinkler system, CO2 system and met the acceptance of GL. All keel coolers were fully overhauled and boxed back. Repairs on stainless steel 316L pipes were carried out. Engine room new Sea Water suction strainers fabricated and galvanised. Top overhauling was carried out supplying all required spares on both Auxiliary engines and rectified Main Engine fuel Injection problems with Original Equipment Manufacturers.

The Managers were impressed with yard’s approach and capability handle the following scope, which had been long overdue scope they had been trying to rectify:

Deck crane was malfunctioning was in a state where an instruction manual nor assistance from manufacturer was available, yard accepted the challenge and sorted out the matters on hydraulic and electrical systems successfully. Engine Room FW hydrophore piping system was modified to a much user friendly and easy maintenance. Added to that whole new pipe system was galvanised to compromise with quality, durability and cost effectiveness. Introduced new air handling unit connecting existing system with modified chill water lines and ducting and improved. Rectified Stern tube inner surface crack and proven to GL classification society by carrying out ultrasonic crack detection testing. Sound and heat proofing of owners cabin and AC room carried out. Installed new wooden deck on swimming platform on aft of the yacht. Fabricated new high quality stainless steel cabinets, racks, shelves, customised equipment holders with complete understanding with the user’s requirement, owner’s interest and compatibility in various locations inside the yacht. Fabricated new tender chocks (Cradles), platform and two customised ladders with Aluminium as per the requirement.

Addition to that yard completed comparatively large scale jobs such as under water bottom damaged areas steel renewal with internal and webs of water ballast tanks, mechanical chipping and painting of all fresh water and ballast tanks, and chipping, inspection, steel renewal and painting of three sewage tanks. Both anchors were blasted and galvanised, polished anchor lips and funnels for much attractive appearance. Routine repairs such as valve overhauling, pipe renewal, brake band renewal, hydraphore tank cleaning etc was completed with the acceptance of GL.

Both anchors removed and blasted and galvanised. Both anchor lips and c hampered SS plated polished with compound. Windlass and brake pads renewed. ER valves O/H and presented to GL and identified pipes fabricated new. Engine Room 2 Nos Hydrophore tanks cleaned chipped and painted. Three sewage tanks cleaned and steel renewal attended and GL inspected. Stabiliser, BT, AT CPP oil sample laboratory tested and operation test carried out As per GL.

To successfully complete the project on schedule and smoothly, yard had taken special initiatives of educating the yard team of the project at hand and the owner’s special requirements via the yard TV (In-house TV channel). The security level surrounding the Dock No. 03 was enhanced with special security arrangements to ensure safety of the asset. Addition to that yard allocated an adjacent sheltered area for storage of all equipments, accessories and pleasure crafts allowing uninterrupted space onboard to work minding the safety of those. Also all the decks, walkways, platforms were thoroughly protected with several layers of coverings for complete protection. The yacht finish coating job was handled by a specialist contractor appointed by the owners, the necessary support services were provided by the yard. Specialised scaffolding arrangement to covering the entire vessel had to be erected for workers to access the hull surface at a comfortable working reach. The coating work areas were protected /covered using specialised shrink wrap (Dr. Shrink) which enabled the final yacht finish. (Paint AWLGrip).

The owner’s interests were looked after by a team comprising of Fleet Manager Nick Sevier, Technical Department Christophe Niekrasz, Interior Manager (Titan Fleet Management) Antonio Dias and Duncan McGregor. The yard team was headed by Senior Ship Manager Dhammika Dissanayake who was well supported by all production departments to re-deliver the vessel on schedule. Invoicing and specialised service arrangements were handled by Estimating and Invoicing Engineer G.A Amila Rukshan. The Lauren L sailed to her next charter starting point in Seychelles.    

The owners were pleasantly surprised with the excellent facilities at their disposal coupled with the quality workmanship, professional approach to meet the owners requirements were highly appreciated.

High net-worth luxury yacht repair sector prospects look promising, with many of the yacht operators terminating their cruises close to Maldives in the Indian Ocean, reverting to repair- maintenance soon after a charter.    

The repairs were carried out meeting the Class Germanischer Lloyd classification society requirements.  Mclearence Shipping Ltd., handled the local husbanding work smoothly.

Colombo has already emerged as a marine hub for commercial container traffic; the successful completion of this super luxury yacht project and marketing of the services to this un-tapped sector looks promising for the future.

The maritime industry in Sri Lanka has seen rejuvenated activity with the dawn of Peace, lifting of all war risk restrictions, many international ship owners/ lines are looking at Colombo/ Sri Lanka as a serious destination for their drydocking repairs and marine requirements.