Sometimes an entire blade is bent or is missing a part. Sometimes we find cracks, grinds and nicks in propellers, caused by hitting sand or foreign objects in the water. The Shipyard: What methods of underwater repair are there?įred Noordman: The method we use depends on the type of damage we discover. Underwater repair is very important, because even if a damage is not having any effect on your ship at that precise moment, it can produce so much secondary cavitation on your rudder later on, that the cost to repair the initial damage is only a fraction of the costs you will have later on in dry dock. It is a cost-effective method which allows the ship to continue its in-port loading operations so that it can sail on time. That is why underwater ship repair is optimal in many cases. Even a bend in one blade only, can cause enough disbalance in the pressure distribution of the propeller to lead to an engine overload. For instance, damaged propellers can cause vibrations, secondary cavitation and additional loads on the engine, all of which eventually result in increased fuel consumption. In- and Underwater Rudder RepairsĪt the same time, if the ship has a noticeable damage, it is very important to fix it as soon as possible. This lengthy procedure takes valuable time out of the ship’s sailing schedule, losing the shipping company money. If no dry dock is available at the moment, there is additional waiting time before work can begin. The ship has to be unloaded, taken into the dry dock, repaired, and then floated out again. The Shipyard: Why underwater repair and not dry dock?įred Noordman: Taking a ship into dry dock can be very expensive and time-consuming. In most cases we decide which option is best and most cost effective in the long term. Depending on each specific case, we have multiple options how to solve the problem. The inspection is followed by writing up a complete damage report, describing the exact location and level of the damage involved. Having a ship with a dysfunctional propeller is like having a big car with no wheels.Īfter we analyze the indications, the step that follows is thorough underwater inspection. As one of the most expensive and necessary parts of the vessel, it is crucial that any damage to the propeller is discovered and repaired quickly. This indication could be a certain noise or vibration, for example, telling us that there is something wrong with the propeller. What is the first thing you do?įred Noordman: Underwater ship repair is a precise job that starts with the indication of the problem. ![]() The Shipyard: You get a call from a client that their ship has a damage. Fred Noordman on the job during bow thruster repair operations. He has kindly agreed to meet with me and provide firsthand insight on what this fascinating job entails. Fred Noordman is one such person – an experienced diver himself, his company FN Diving provides underwater repair, maintenance and inspection services in Rotterdam. We rarely get to see it, but we always know that massive, menacing propeller is lurking just below the surface, like a sea monster.Īnd while most of us will never get anywhere near it, for some people a submerged hull is a daily workplace. These are 25 strange underwater images of sunken ships.Many of us have an inexplicable fascination for the underwater part of a ship. The images below are of shipwrecks we've discovered. We've found less than 1 percent of the world's shipwrecks. Estimates put the number of wrecks in the ocean at more than 3 million. Historians suggest that the treasure aboard the Merchant Royal is made up of gold, silver, and bullion worth hundreds of millions of dollars possibly more than $1 billion.Īccording to the website of, "the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimated that as much as 95 percent of the world's oceans and 99 percent of the ocean floor are unexplored." These staggering statistics give us a sense of how little we know about shipwrecks at the bottom of the ocean as well. One of the most sought-after ships is the Merchant Royal. Those who find the right shipwreck could become famous. The deepest known trench on Earth is the Mariana Trench, which is located in the Pacific Ocean and is approximately 36,070 feet (6.83 miles) deep. ![]() With the existence of ocean trenches exceeding depths of 10,000 feet, it's no wonder that we've discovered a small number of shipwrecks and know very little about them. Underwater shipwrecks are perplexing, and so few of them are identified. Across the seabed are more shipwrecks than we can count. We know so little about the ocean, yet we continue to explore its depths.
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