Propeller repairs

A ship with bent or cracked propeller blades might experience severe vibrations while sailing. The classification society might demand a repair before the vessel is allowed to sail on. By straightening the blades or cropping them, we can restore the propeller’s balance. As a result the class will give a green light.

Underwater propeller repairs

Propeller repairs restore efficiency and save money

When damage to propellers occurs due to impact with ice and other debris, we will help you. Our teams can do this even if the damage is quite extensive.

Prior to a propeller repair a detailed underwater inspection is carried out by our divers. They are certified to make a full assessment of the condition of the propeller. The exact dimensions and position of the damage are then communicated to our technical department. This is essential because the calculations need to be perfectly accurate to achieve an ideal result with the repair. Hydrex team members have experience in dealing with many different situations and circumstances. Our diver/technician experts are trained to think with the the technical department and can assist in working out the best solution. They have the skill and experience needed to implement the solutions that have been worked out.

Blade straightening and cropping

By taking advantage of the in-house developed cold straightening technique, damaged blades can be straightened underwater. This allows the ship to return to commercial operations without the need to drydock. Optimum efficiency of the propellers can be restored by bringing the blades back close to their original form. The cold straightening machine has been in use for quite some time now but our research department has been looking into ways to improve the technique even further. A new model of the straightening machine was recently put into service. It is compatible with the existing model and is used to restore more severely bent propeller blades.

If straightening is not an option, the affected area on the blade will be cropped. This is done to achieve the greatest possible efficiency. This kind of repair is carried out with our propeller blade cutting equipment. First a detailed underwater inspection is performed by a Hydrex diver/ technician team to obtain the exact extent of the damage. This information is then used for a detailed calculation of the ideal cutting line. This allows the customer to know in advance what the result of the operation will be.

Blade replacement

On some occasions an entire blade has to be replaced on a variable pitch propeller. This work can also be carried out by our divers. They are trained to perform a wide variety of operations, both above and below the waterline, anywhere in the world and sometimes even in the most extreme conditions.

Permanent underwater repairs

Our R&D department has developed a repair system that allows Hydrex to perform permanent underwater repairs to every type of propeller in dry conditions. All kinds of repair or maintenance work can be carried out to propellers, twin propellers, variable pitch propellers, azipod and collapsible thrusters.

This is especially important news for supply vessels, navy ships or any vessel under contract or on a location far away from available drydock possibilities. Staying on hire for underwater repairs will save precious time and money.

This repair system can be transported by air transport to any location around the world from our fast response centers within a very short time frame. It can be assembled very quickly (12 hours) on-site.

Inspections and other work

We also have the tools to carry out detailed crack inspections on propeller blades. An informed decision can then be made concerning any required follow-up action. Catching problems early can save much time and money.

A propeller modification can easily be combined with any other maintenance or repair operation that needs to be carried out on the vessel. Thanks to the flexibility of our teams this allows a vessel to keep its schedule.

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