Korea Line Bulk Carriers
Project Type
Tank Top Reinstatement
Location
Shanhaiguan Shipyard
Date
2009
Team
Shanhaiguan Shipyard
©shipspotting.com, C Parnell, M Wei
In 2009, SPS Technology reinstated five Korea Line Corporation Capesize bulk carriers with more than 10,000 m² (107,640 ft²) of SPS tank top plating.
Ultimately, the team carried out all five projects at Shanhaiguan Shipyard, starting with the Silver Bell in January that year.
Despite a North China winter, with average temperatures ranging from 3 °C to −6 °C, the team installed the first 3,532 m² of SPS tank top reinstatement on the Silver Bell in just ten days. Impressed by this result, Korea Line Corporation went on to award the team further projects on the Marigold, Golden Bell, Camellia and Anemone.
SPS Tank Top Reinstatement for KR-Classed Vessels
These were the first SPS projects completed on Korean Register (KR) classed vessels. SPS Technology originally developed tank top reinstatement for bulk carriers, and the team included it in the first class submission for the Silver Bell.
Because KR had already reviewed the method, the team could fast-track approval for the other four vessels:
Golden Bell
Area: 1,567 m2
Productivity*: 8 days/ 195 m2 per day
Date: March 2009
Marigold
Area: 1,390 m2
Productivity*: 10 days/ 139 m2 per day
Date: March 2009
Camellia
Area: 1,595 m2
Productivity*: 7 days/ 227 m2 per day
Date: June 2009
Anemone
Area: 2,397 m2
Productivity*: 9 days/ 266 m2 per day
Date: August 2009
*Productivity refers to the SPS injection process.
Throughout each project, the team worked closely with Korea Line and the shipyard to carry out the SPS tank top reinstatement according to the Class-approved application procedure. At the same time, they kept disruption to other ongoing work to a minimum.
”We chose to use SPS Overlay on five of our bulk carriers because it is a fast repair that delivers flatter, longer-lasting tank tops, and the results improve our operational costs.
Mr Y S JeongVice President, Korea Line Corporation
SPS keeps vessels in service longer
Seven years later, the team had the chance to revisit several of the ships and inspect the tank top reinstatements firsthand. Korea Line, pleased that the SPS repairs had kept its vessels in service throughout that time, shared this feedback:
”KLC has used SPS for tank top reinstatement of our cape size bulk carriers. Since the successful first project on the MV Silver Bell, we have reinstated the tank tops of most of our cape size fleet using SPS.
Seven years have passed since the first project and the SPS tank top is still perfectly flat.
The benefits of SPS, in providing a very robust impact resistant surface, reducing discharge times and reducing maintenance costs, have proven to be exactly as [SPS Technology] presented to us.
We would not hesitate to recommend SPS tank tops for reinstatement or to be applied on a new build.
Mr C M ParkVice President, Korea Line Corporation
The Benefits of SPS Tank Top Repairs
Compared with conventional “crop and renew” techniques, SPS repairs are both simpler and faster. On the Korea Line projects, for instance, SPS removed the need to clean the fuel oil (FO) tanks and to weld overhead. In addition, SPS:
- Shortened the repair schedule for all five vessels
- Simplified the repair procedure and reduced labour requirements
- Delivered stronger tank tops that resist impact loads
Beyond saving time and labour, tank top repairs with SPS offer superb impact resistance. As a result, they stand up to deformation from cargo handling and almost entirely eliminate “dishing,” the denting that grab and bulldozer impacts leave in conventional steel tank tops.
For Korea Line Corporation, these advantages translate into smoother cargo handling, faster turnarounds and better operating economics.
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