Solstad Offshore Returns to Gibdock

Gibraltar-based ship repair company Gibdock informs it has built up a close working relationship with Solstad Offshore, with a number of the Norwegian operator’s specialist offshore craft being repaired at the yard over the past few years. This partnership was recently rekindled when a construction support vessel (CSV), the 5,000dwt Normand Pacific, arrived in Gibraltar for its first special survey.

The 122-meter-long Normand Pacific, which was built at the Fosen shipyard in Norway in 2010, entered the Gibdock yard in mid-May for a three-week program, including two weeks in drydock and one week alongside. The vessel had been operating offshore West Africa, but was due to commence a new deployment offshore Mexico. 

Gibdock managing director, Richard Beards, said, “Gibdock was ideally located to carry out the required special survey and pre-contract repair and maintenance work. Solstad Offshore was able to redeploy this valuable asset with limited deviation, and hence lower costs.”

A key element of the drydocking works was the requirement to service Normand Pacific’s two Schottel propulsion thrusters which, in addition to three Brunvoll tunnel thrusters and a Brunvoll retractable azimuth thruster unit, were dismantled in the dock, and moved to the yard’s workshops for extensive overhaul work. Gibdock fitters assisted owner-arranged manufacturer technicians with the servicing of all six units.

In addition, Gibdock assisted MacGregor service engineers with the overhaul of the Normand Pacific’s 200 metric tons lift capacity offshore crane. Paul Cano, Gibdock ship repair manager, said, “This was in many ways the most demanding aspect of the project, as it involved removing three out of the four hydraulic boom cylinders, each of which weighed 8 metric tons, and transporting them to the workshop, where they were stripped down and overhauled. We then returned them to the ship, lifted up the boom and refitted the cylinders in place, while other works on the crane and surrounding area were ongoing.” When the crane was fully operational once more, Gibdock subcontracted Water Weights to carry out a load test, to class requirements, using water bags.

The three-week stay of Normand Pacific at Gibdock also saw the yard carry out pipework for various systems onboard, including the installation of 57 meters of new piping for new ballast water treatment technology. Additionally Gibdock fabricated and installed pipelines for the cooling system, and carried out a range of standard drydocking works, including external hull coating and overhauling the sea valves. The vessel’s lifeboats and davits were also tested and serviced during Normand Pacific’s stay in Gibraltar.

Gibdock completed the job slightly ahead of schedule, ensuring the vessel was able to sail on to its next charter on time on June 10.