Sleipnir Offshore provides a range of specialized underwater services for inspection and repair vessels. These services are designed to maintain the operational efficiency and integrity of ships and other marine structures without the need for costly and time-consuming drydocking.
Here is an explanation of each service:
- In-water (class) inspections: These are routine underwater inspections of a vessel’s hull and other submerged parts. They are performed by certified divers or ROVs on behalf of a classification society (a recognized authority that sets and maintains technical standards for vessels). These inspections are a crucial part of a ship’s certification, ensuring its safety and seaworthiness.
- Lieu of drydock surveys (UWILD): UWILD stands for “Underwater Inspection in Lieu of Dry-Docking.” This is a specialized survey that allows a vessel to fulfill the required hull inspection for a classification society without going into a drydock. By conducting the inspection while the vessel is still in the water, UWILD saves significant time and money by minimizing operational downtime.
- NDT inspections (CP, UT, ACFM, and MPI): NDT stands for Non-Destructive Testing, which are inspection techniques that evaluate the properties of a material or component without causing damage. Sleipnir Offshore uses several NDT methods underwater:
- CP (Cathodic Protection): Measures the electrical potential of the hull’s cathodic protection system to check if it’s effectively preventing corrosion.
- UT (Ultrasonic Thickness): Uses sound waves to measure the thickness of the hull plates to detect material loss due to corrosion.
- ACFM (Alternating Current Field Measurement): An electromagnetic technique that detects and sizes surface-breaking cracks in metals.
- MPI (Magnetic Particle Inspection): A method used to detect surface and near-surface cracks in ferromagnetic materials.
- Propeller polishing to Rupert class: The Rupert scale is an industry standard used to measure and grade the smoothness of a propeller’s surface. Propeller polishing is a maintenance task that removes marine growth and roughness from propeller blades. Polishing to a high “Rupert class” (e.g., class “A”) improves the propeller’s efficiency, leading to better speed and reduced fuel consumption. Sleipnir’s services in this area are certified in all Belgium and Netherlands ports.
- Hyperbaric repairs: This involves performing repairs in a dry, high-pressure environment created by a habitat or cofferdam around the work site. This method is used for critical repairs, especially welding, as it allows for a higher quality of work that meets rigorous standards.
- Hull repair fully Class accredited and approved wet welding repairs: Sleipnir Offshore provides hull repair services using wet welding (welding directly in the water). The crucial part of this service is that it is fully Class accredited, meaning the quality of their wet welding meets the high standards required by classification societies, allowing these repairs to be considered permanent.
- Valve replacement (hull aperture exchange) assist, installation of temporarily blank(s) and/or cofferdam operations: This complex service is required to replace valves or other components that pass through a vessel’s hull below the waterline. Divers install a temporary blank or a small cofferdam to seal the opening, allowing the valve to be replaced in a dry environment from the inside of the vessel without the need for drydocking.
- Wet welding under class for anodes, minor constructions and/or repairs: This service is similar to the hull repair above but specifies the use of wet welding for specific tasks, such as attaching sacrificial anodes (which protect the hull from corrosion) or performing minor structural repairs, all while adhering to classification society standards.
- Thrusters change out and propeller repairs: Thrusters and propellers are critical for a vessel’s propulsion and maneuverability. Sleipnir Offshore can perform in-water repairs or even completely replace thruster units and propeller blades, minimizing the vessel’s downtime.
- Emergency response 24/7: This indicates that Sleipnir Offshore is available around the clock to respond to urgent situations, such as unexpected damage to a vessel or subsea infrastructure. Their rapid response capability is crucial for mitigating further damage and getting a vessel back into service as quickly as possible.