The Importance Of Underwater Ship Repairs And Maintenance

On occasion, underwater repair is the only feasible options, particularly in instances of hull, propeller and plating maintenance.

Underwater ship repairs can:

• Be bespoke to your needs
• Save money in the long run
• Reduce time spent in dry dock
• Improve ship efficiency

At Calvey Marine, we specialise in these types of repair with more than 25 years’ experience and our range of underwater services is extensive. Here’s why certain underwater repairs and maintenance are so important:

Hull Cleaning

Perhaps the most important type of underwater ship repair, hull cleaning should be completed on a regular basis. The hull, the watertight body of a ship, can vary from ship to ship with no “one size fits all” policy. Regular cleaning and upkeep of your ship’s hull can affect its longevity and efficiency.

By keeping your ships hull clean and maintained, you can avoid nasty surprises such as barnacles, marine crustaceans that if left untreated can attach themselves permanently to the underside of your ship. What’s more, a clean hull helps to streamline your ship, making it more fuel efficient and therefore cheaper to run.

Propeller Polishing

Regular propeller polishing can help to reduce the surface’s roughness and in turn, can save significant costs further down the line. Smooth propeller surfaces become inhospitable to marine organisms, meaning the underside of your ship won’t become a homing ground for marine life that could cause damage.

At Calvey Marine, our suppliers have developed an innovative propeller polishing tool that helps with fuel savings and produces a fantastic quality result.

Hull Plate Repairs

Damaged hull plating can be the result of many factors; natural corrosion, stress from long voyages or unavoidable wear and tear after years of service. Allowing defective hull plates to go unnoticed can cost you, both financially and in time, so immediate repair and maintenance once a fault has been identified is important. Repair methods are varied; from a hydraulic ram to specialist tempering.

Calvey Marine work with experts in hull plate repair work and always work diligently to ensure no further damage is caused and the repairs are completed quickly so as not to affect your vessel’s onward journey.

Underwater Ship Painting

There will undoubtedly be a time where underwater painting or adhesive work to the bottom of your ship is needed, particularly if any protective coating begins to deteriorate and corrode. Regular maintenance on your ship’s paintwork can not only help deter such corrosion but save you money; if rust or oxidisation is left for too long, it becomes a much more expensive problem to have.

With three decades’ experience, Calvey Marine’s providers have effective and established processes for successful underwater ship painting for vessels and subsea structures; all work will be quick and with next to no disruption. Don’t let the ocean’s climate and inhabitants cause havoc with your paintwork.

How can we help?

Fundamentally, underwater repairs can save you money in the long-run and means your ship, should it encounter any significant damage, won’t necessarily have to rack up huge costs by being dry-docked for extensive periods of time.

Calvey Marine boasts a fantastic range of underwater maintenance services, all fully flexible and tailored with you and your vessel in mind. Find out more here or call us today on 01903 748860.