Ship Repair

Ship Repair 1
 Steel ship repair practices and processes
Ship repair generally includes all ship conversions, overhauls,
maintenance programmes, major damage repairs and minor
equipment repairs. Ship repair is a very important part of the
shipping and shipbuilding industry.

Approximately 25% of the labour force in most private shipbuilding

shipyards does repair and conversion work. Currently there are many
ships that need updating and/or conversions to meet safety and
environmental requirements.

With fleets worldwide becoming old and inefficient, and with the
high cost of new ships, the situation is putting a strain on shipping
companies. In general, conversion and repair work in US shipyards is
more profitable than new construction.
Ship Repair 2
In new-construction shipyards, repair contracts, overhauls
and conversions also help to stabilize the workforce during
times of limited new construction, and new construction
increase the repair labour workload.

The ship repair process is much like the new construction

process, except that it is generally on a smaller scale and is
performed at a faster pace.

The repair process requires a more timely coordination and

an aggressive bidding process for ship repair contracts.
Repair work customers are generally the navy, commercial
ship owners and other marine structure owners.
Ship Repair 3
The customer usually provides contract specifications,
drawings and standard items. Contracts can be firm fixed
price (FFP), firm fixed price award fee (FFPAF), cost plus fixed
fee (CPFF), cost plus award fee (CPAF) or urgent repair
contracts.

The process starts in the marketing area when the shipyard is

asked for a request for proposal (RFP) or an invitation for bid
(IFB).

The lowest price usually wins an IFB contract, while a RFP

award can be based on factors other than price.

Ship Repair 4
The repair estimating group prepares the cost
estimate and the proposal for the repair contract.

Bid estimates generally include worker-hours and

wage rates, materials, overhead, special service
costs, subcontractor dollars, overtime and shift
premiums, other fees, facilities cost of money and,
based on these, the estimated price of the contract.

Once the contract is awarded, a production plan

must be developed.

Ship Repair 5
 Repair planning, engineering and production

Although some preliminary planning is performed at the

proposal stage of the contract, much work is still needed to
plan and execute the contract in a timely manner.

The following steps should be accomplished: read and

understand all contract specifications, categorize the work,
integrate the work into a logical production plan and
determine the critical path.

Ship Repair 6
Planning, engineering, materials, subcontracts and
repair production departments must work closely
together to perform the repair in the most timely
and cost-effective manner.

Prefabrication of piping, ventilation, electrical and

other machinery is performed, in many cases, prior
to the ship’s arrival. Pre-outfitting and prepackaging
of repair units takes cooperation with the production
shops to perform work in a timely manner.

Ship Repair 7
 Common types of repair work

Ships are similar to other types of machinery in that

they require frequent maintenance and,
sometimes, complete overhauls to remain
operational.

Many shipyards have maintenance contracts with

shipping companies, ships and/or ship classes that
identify frequent maintenance work. Examples of
maintenance and repair duties include:

Ship Repair 8
1. blasting and repainting the ship’s hull, freeboard, superstructure,
interior tanks and work areas
2. major machinery rebuilding and installation (e.g., diesel engines,
turbines, generators and pump stations)
3. systems overhauls, maintenance and installation (e.g., flushing,
testing and installation of a piping system)
4. new system installation, either adding new equipment or
replacing systems that are outdated (e.g., navigational systems,
combat systems, communication systems or updated piping
systems)
5. propeller and rudder repairs, modification and alignment
6. creation of new machinery spaces on the ship (e.g., cut-out of
existing steel structure and adding new walls, stiffeners, vertical
supports and webbing).

Ship Repair 9
In many cases, repair contracts are an emergency
situation with very little warning, which makes ship
repair a fast moving and unpredictable environment.

Normal repair ships will stay in the shipyard from 3

days to 2 months, while major repairs and
conversions can last more than a year

Ship Repair 10
 Large repairs and conversion projects

Large repair contracts and major conversions are common in

the ship repair industry. Most of these large repair contracts
are performed by shipyards that have the ability to construct
ships, although some primarily repair yards will perform
extensive repairs and conversions.

Examples of major repair contracts are as follows:

· conversion of supply ships to hospital ships

· cutting a ship in half and installing a new section to

lengthen the ship Ship Repair 11
 replacing segments of a ship that has run aground
 complete rip-out, structural reconfiguration and
outfitting of combat systems
 major re-modelling of ship’s interior or exterior (e.g.,
complete overhauls of passenger cruise ships).

Ship Repair 12
Most major repairs and conversions require a large
planning, engineering and production effort. In many cases,
a large quantity of steel work will need to be accomplished
(e.g., major cut-out of existing ship structure and
installation of new configurations).

These projects can be divided into four major stages:

removal, building new structure, equipment installation and
testing. Subcontractors are required for most major and
minor repairs and conversions.

The subcontractors provide expertise in certain areas and

help to even the workload in the shipyard.

Ship Repair 13
Some of the work that subcontractors perform are as
follows:
1. support of ship repair
2. major combat systems installations (technical)
3. boiler re-tubing and rebuilding
4. air compressor overhauls
5. asbestos removal and disposal
6. tank cleaning
7. blasting and painting
8. pump system overhauls
9. small structural fabrication
10. winch overhauls
11. main steam system modifications
12. system fabrications (i.e., piping, ventilation, foundations
and so on). Ship Repair 14
As with new construction, all installed systems must be
tested and operational before the ship is returned to its
owner.
Testing requirements generally originate from the contract,
although other sources of testing requirements do exist.

The tests must be scheduled, tracked for proper completion

and monitored by the proper groups (shipyard internal
quality, vessel operation, government agencies, ship owners
and so on).
Once systems are in place and properly tested, the area,
compartment and/or system can be considered sold to the
ship (i.e., completed).

Ship Repair 15
There are many similarities between new
construction and repair processes.

The primary similarities are that they both use the

application of essentially the same manufacturing
practices, processes, facilities and support shops.

Ship repair and new construction work require

highly skilled labour because many of the
operations have limited potential for automation
(especially ship repair).
Ship Repair 16
Both require excellent planning, engineering and
interdepartmental communications. The repair process flow
is generally as follows: estimate, plan and engineer the job;
rip-out work; refitting of steel structures; repair production;
test and trials; and deliver the ship.

In many ways the ship repair process is similar to

shipbuilding, although new construction requires a greater
amount of organization because of the size of the workforce,
size of the workload, number of parts and the complexity of
the communications (i.e., production plans and schedules)
surrounding the shipbuilding work flow.

Ship Repair 17
Hazards and Precautions

Ship Repair 18
Shipbuilding and repair is one of the most hazardous
industries. Work must be done in a variety of highly
hazardous situations, such as confined spaces and
considerable heights.
Much manual work is performed involving heavy
equipment and material. Since the work is so interrelated,
the results of one process may endanger personnel involved
in another process.
In addition, a great portion of work is performed out-of-
doors, and the effects of weather extremes can cause or
aggravate hazardous conditions.
Additionally, a number of chemicals, paints, solvents and
coatings must be used, which may pose significant risks to
employees.
Ship Repair 19
Health hazards:
Chemical hazards which pose health risks to employees in
shipyards include:
1. dusts from abrasive blasting operations
2. exposure to asbestos and mineral fibres in insulation
work
3. vapours and spray mists from paints, coatings, solvents
and thinners
4. fumes from various welding, burning, soldering and
brazing operations
5. exposure to gases used in various welding, burning and
heating processes

Ship Repair 20
6. exposure to specific toxic chemicals in epoxy resins, organo-tin and
copper anti-fouling paints, lead paint, oils, greases, pigments and the
like.
 Physical hazards due to the manual nature of the work
include:
1. temperature and weather extremes associated with work
performed out-of-doors
2. electrical hazards
3. ergonomic-related problems caused by repetitive handling of
large and bulky materials
4. ionizing and non-ionizing radiation
5. noise and vibration
6. oxygen deficiency potential and other confined space hazards
associated with tanks, double bottoms and so on
7. falls and trips from work on the same level as well as work from
great heights.

Ship Repair 21
Preventive measures:

Although shipbuilding and repair is a very hazardous

industry, the risks to personnel by these hazards can and
should be minimized. The basis for hazard reduction is a
well-founded health and safety programme that is rooted in
a good partnership between management and the trade
unions or employees.

There are a number of approaches that can be utilized to

prevent or minimize hazards in shipyards once they are
identified. These approaches may be broadly divided into
several strategies.

Ship Repair 22
Engineering controls are employed to eliminate or control
hazards at their point of generation. These controls are the
most desirable of the various types since they are most
dependable:
·Substitution or elimination. Where possible, processes
that produce hazards or toxic materials should be eliminated
or replaced with less hazardous processes or materials. This
is the most effective form of control.
An example is the use of non-carcinogenic materials instead
of asbestos insulation. Another example is the use of
hydraulic lifting tables for handling heavy materials, instead
of manual lifting. Replacement of solvent-based paints with
water-based coatings is frequently possible. Automation or
robotics can be used to eliminate process hazards.
Ship Repair 23
· Isolation. Processes that are not amenable to
substitution or elimination can sometimes be isolated from
employees to minimize exposures. Frequently, sources of
high noise can be relocated to place more distance between
workers and the noise source, thus reducing exposure.

· Enclosure. Processes or personnel can sometimes be

enclosed to eliminate or reduce exposures. Operators of
equipment can be provided enclosed booths to minimize
exposure to noise, heat, cold or even chemical hazards.
Processes may also be enclosed. Paint-spray booths and
welding booths are examples of process enclosure that
reduce exposures to potentially toxic materials.
Ship Repair 24
Ventilation. Processes that produce toxic materials can be
ventilated to capture the materials at their point of
generation. This technique is used extensively in shipyards
and boatyards, particularly to control welding fumes and
gases, paint vapours and the like.

Many fans and blowers are located on the decks of vessels

and air is either exhausted from or blown into spaces to
reduce exposure to hazards. Frequently fans are used in the
blowing mode to direct fresh air into compartments to
maintain acceptable oxygen levels.

Ship Repair 25
Administrative controls are used to minimize exposures
by administratively limiting the time spent by personnel in
potentially hazardous situations. This is generally
accomplished by rotating personnel from a relatively low
hazard job to a higher hazard one. Although the aggregate
amount of person-exposure time is not changed, exposure
of each individual worker is reduced.
Administrative controls are not without their negative
aspects. This technique requires additional training since
workers must know both jobs and more workers are
potentially exposed to a hazard. Also, since the number of
personnel exposed to hazards has doubled from a legal
standpoint, potential liabilities may be increased. However,
administrative control can be an effective method if
properly applied. Ship Repair 26
Personal protective controls. Shipyards must rely heavily
on the various forms of personal protection. The nature of ship
construction and repair does not lend itself to traditional engineering
approaches.

Ships are very confined spaces with limited access. A submarine

under repair has 1 to 3 hatches that are .76 m in diameter, through
which people and equipment must pass.

The amount of ventilation tubing that can pass through is severely

limited. Similarly, on large ships work is performed deep within the
vessel, and although some ventilation may be smoked through the
various levels to reach the desired operation, the amount is limited.

Further, the fans pushing or pulling air through the vent tubing are
generally located in fresh air, usually on a main deck, and they, too,
have somewhat limited capacity.Ship Repair 27
In addition, ship construction and repair is not performed in
an assembly line, but in separate work sites such that
stationary engineering controls are impractical. Further, a
ship may be under repair for a few days, and the extent to
which engineering control may be utilized is again limited.
Personal protective equipment is used extensively in these
situations.

In shops, more extensive use may be made of traditional

engineering control approaches. Most equipment and
machinery in shops and assembly platens is very amenable
to traditional guarding, ventilation and other engineering
approaches. However, some personal protective equipment
must be utilized in these situations as well.
Ship Repair 28
A discussion of the various applications of personal protective
equipment utilized in shipyards follows:

Welding, cutting and grinding. The basic process of

constructing and repairing ships involves cutting, shaping and joining
steel and other metals. In the process, metallic fumes, dusts and
particulates are generated. Although ventilation can sometimes be
utilized, more frequently welders must utilize respirators for
protection from welding particulates and fumes. In addition, they
must employ appropriate eye protection for ultraviolet and infrared
illumination and other physical eye and face hazards. In order to
provide protection from sparks and other forms of molten metal, the
welder must be protected by welding gloves, long-sleeved clothing
and other physical protection.

Ship Repair 29
Abrasive blasting and painting. Much painting is
performed in ship construction and repair. In many cases,
the paints and coatings are specified by the ship’s owner.

Prior to painting, the equipment must be blasted with an

abrasive to a certain profile that ensures good adhesion
and protection.

Ship Repair 30
Abrasive blasting of small parts may be performed in a
closed system such as a glove box. However, most large
components are abrasive blasted manually. Some blasting is
performed in the open air, some in large bays of a building
or shop designated for this purpose and some inside the
vessels or vessel sections themselves.

In any case, personnel performing abrasive blasting must

use full-body protection, hearing protection and air-fed
respiratory protection. They must be provided with an
adequate supply of breathable air (i.e., at least Grade D
breathing air).

Ship Repair 31
In some countries the use of crystalline silica has been banned. Its
use is generally not recommended. If silica-containing materials are
used in blasting, preventive protective measures must be taken.

After abrasive blasting, materials must be quickly painted in order to

prevent “flash rusting” of the surface. Although mercury, arsenic and
other very toxic metals are no longer used in paints, paints used in
shipyards generally contain solvents as well as pigments such as zinc.
Other paints are of the epoxy type. Painters who apply these coatings
must be protected. Most painters must use a negative or positive
pressure respirator for their protection, as well as full-body coveralls,
gloves, shoe covers and eye protection. Sometimes painting must be
performed in confined or enclosed spaces. In these cases, air-
supplied respiratory protection and full-body protection must be
used, and there must be an adequate, permit-requiring confined-
spaces programme.
Ship Repair 32
Overhead hazards. Shipyards have many cranes, and a
large amount of overhead work is performed. Hard-hat
protection is generally required in all production areas of
shipyards.

Insulation work. Piping systems and other components

must be insulated to maintain component temperature and
reduce heat in the ship’s interior; in some cases, insulation
is needed for noise reduction. In ship repair, existing
insulation must be removed from piping to do repair work;
in these cases, asbestos material is frequently encountered.
In new work, fibreglass and mineral fibres are frequently
used. In either case, appropriate respiratory protection and
full-body protection must beShipworn.
Repair 33
Noise sources: Work in shipyards is notoriously noisy.
Most processes involve working with metal; this typically
produces noise levels above acceptable safe limits. Not all
noise sources can be controlled to safe levels by utilizing
engineering controls. Thus, personal protection must be
used.

Foot hazards: Shipyards have a number of operations

and processes that present hazards to the feet. It is often
difficult and impractical to segregate the facility into foot
hazard and non-foot hazard areas; safety shoes/boots are
typically required for the entire production area of
shipyards.
Ship Repair 34
Eye hazards: There are many potential sources of
hazards to the eyes in shipyards. Examples are various
ultraviolet and infrared light hazards from welding arcs,
physical hazards from various metal working dusts and
particles, abrasive blasting grit, work with various pickling
and metal baths, caustics and paint sprays.

Due to the ubiquitous/universal nature of these hazards,

safety glasses are frequently required throughout the
production areas of shipyards for practical and
administrative simplicity. Special eye protection is required
for specific individual processes.

Ship Repair 35
Lead: Over the years, lead-based primers and coatings
have been utilized extensively in ship construction.
Although lead-containing paints and coatings are rarely
used today, a significant amount of elemental lead is used
in nuclear shipyards as a radiation shielding material. In
addition, ship repair work often involves the removal of
older coatings that frequently contain lead. In fact, repair
work requires a great deal of sensitivity and concern for
materials that have been applied or used previously. Work
with lead requires full-body protection including coveralls,
gloves, hat, shoe covers and respiratory protection.

Ship Repair 36