Hydrex came to the rescue in the Caribbean earlier this year, performing a bow thruster replacement on a cruise ship during a set of tightly-scheduled port stops, according to a statement.

Following steering problems on the vessel due to a bow thruster issue, Hydrex stepped in with its mobdock technique and diver technicians

“It was therefore important that the operation was split up in parts that could be finished before the vessel had to leave again,” the company said. “A perfect planning and constant communication between our technical department in the office and our team on location was essential in achieving this.”

The repair itself was one the company had done on many occasions, but the ship’s time table was the tricky part, Hydrex said.

Because of the nature of the vessel, its strict schedule included many short stops. The technical department therefore proposed a scope of work that would allow them the perform the replacement in stages in several different ports. 

The removal of the bow thruster blades and the unit was done in the wet. The installation of the new bow thruster in the next port needed to be done in the dry to avoid water ingress into the unit. This was done with the company’s flexible mobdocks.

Mobdock is essentially a mobile, mini-drydock, enabling the diver/technicians to create a dry environment to work in while the vessel stays afloat.