A&P GROUP’S Tyne shipyard has completed its second order this year for Subsea 7 – one of the world’s leading subsea engineering and construction companies.
The Hebburn yard has just finished repairs to the construction and cable-laying vessel Acergy Eagle, similar to the work it carried out in the summer to the Seven Oceans, another pipelay vessel from Subsea 7’s large fleet.
The 138 metre long Acergy Eagle, which can lay cables in waters up to 3000 metres deep, underwent complex repairs to its tunnel thrusters, which manoeuvre the vessel from side to side.
The job involved taking apart the engines and removing the numerous parts to be specially machined, then re-assembling and re-fitting them. The vessel’s hull was also scraped and blasted clean with a high-pressure water wash to remove barnacles and marine growth.
Project Director Iain Campbell said: “ It’s intricate work which has to be over-seen by specialists from the manufacturers who made the various parts to ensure everything is put back together precisely to their specifications.
“The work had to be done to a tight schedule as these are very valuable vessels, a huge asset to their company, and they don’t want them out of service any longer than necessary.”
Stewart Boak , managing director of A&P Tyne, said the yard hoped to work further with Subsea 7.
He said: “ This is the second vessel that A&P has secured from Subsea 7 this year, following on from the Seven Oceans.
“Subsea 7 recently merged with Acergy to become one of the major players in the North Sea, operating over 40 ships worldwide – a very important customer, who we have supported for a number of years.”
Acergy Eagle, which works on offshore field developments worldwide, was in dry dock for just over a week before sailing out of the Tyne today (Thursday).
The yard recently completed its part in Britain’s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, ahead of schedule, sending Centre Block 03 – which forms part of the flight deck and hangar – up to Rosyth last month where the warship is being assembled.
A&P won a £55million order to build part of the two new carriers, bringing shipbuilding back to the Tyne.
Early next year it will start building part of the hull of the second carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, on behalf of BAE Portsmouth.
[mappress] Source: A&P GROUP, September 29, 2011; Image: North News & Pictures Ltd