Case Study
Subsea Global Solutions Repairs Leaking Aft Shaft Seal in A Hurry!
Problem
A valued client contacted Subsea Global Solutions with an urgent enquiry regarding a vessel in transit and re-routing to Freeport, Bahamas. The vessel was experiencing water ingress from a leaking shaft seal that needed repair—in a hurry, to preserve the perishable cargo.
Solution
Subsea Global Solutions reacted fast, mobilizing 2 teams to work around the clock composed of our OEM certified diver technicians from Miami, Houston, and Long Beach. We began our proven underwater shaft seal repair procedure by removing the rope guard by way of underwater arc gouging to expose the stern seal assembly. Once the rope guard was removed, the diver technicians found a combination of fishing line & fishing nets wrapped around the shaft and stuck in the seal system, which is now believed to be the root cause of the seal damage. Once the debris was removed, we templated the sterntube and propeller hub to ensure a proper fit for the Subsea Global Solutions underwater Transhab adaptor plates. With our underwater Transhab Habitat installed, we performed our HSE safety checks to ensure the Transhab was safe and secure for our diver technicians to enter. Once confirmed, the 2 teams worked around the clock to minimize the vessels downtime.
Being an OEM certified service provider, the team removed all existing shaft seals and we re-bonded the new shaft seals in their place. Due to the grooving in the shaft liner, the seal housing was released to make room for a distance ring to ensure the new seals were operating on a new running surface. With our Transhab design, no water entered the sterntube during this critical process. After the seal bonding was completed and the spacer rings were installed, pressure tests for each seal chamber were completed and witnessed by the vessel Master and the attending Class Surveyor. A quick break down and removal of our Transhab equipment immediately followed so we could begin reinstalling the rope guard and get the vessel and it’s perishable cargo sailing to its destination. The rope guard was refitted and welded using Subsea Global Solutions "Class A" wet welding procedures with our certified diver technicians.
Conclusion
In the end, the job was completed in a safe, professional, and efficient fashion to ensure our clients’ expectations were met.
Our goal is to always deliver unrivaled service. From hull maintenance to complex ship repair, there is only one global resource you can truly rely on; Subsea Global Solutions.
Learn more about Underwater Seal Repairs/ Replacements
