When a 208-meter-long cruise ship suffered a thruster malfunction, Hydrex, with its mobdock technology, was able to repair the vessel without the need for drydocking, according to a statement.

The company pulled off the thruster replacement with the ship still in service. Because some work requires a dry environment, Hydrex developed the mobdock, or “Mobile mini drydock,” to create a dry environment, while the ship stays in the water at a berth.

Hydrex performed the repairs afloat and underwater broke up the work into segments that matched the ship’s times in port.

“Having to depend on a tug every time the ship berthed would quickly become very expensive. Going off-schedule, however, to have the bow thruster replaced would cost the owner both money and reputation. A solution was therefore needed that could be carried out on-site without interrupting the vessel’s schedule. Enter our tried and tested flexible mobdock technique and our experienced diver/technicians,” the company said.