Underwater Ship Repair & Construction
IMS holds experience and has a long history in both underwater repairs of vessels and underwater installations as well as construction and installations of new equipment and complex industrial installations.
Our divers are IMCA certified and educated and holds the highest wet welding certifications, approved by Class.
Example: When the Maritime Suzanne from Aurora Tankers arrived fully loaded with petroleum products in Cristobal Panama, the SMT had already experienced severe oil leakages and water ingress from its Stern Tube, since departure Houston TX. Dive surveys showed that a 2-inch wire was solidly wrapped around the vessels shaft and had crushed the rope guards which had started spinning with the wire, and eaten up, wore down the entire Shaft Seal Rings, , sea plugs, bolts and seals. After other dive companies had informed Aurora Tankers that the damages was beyond repairs and that the vessel needed immediate dry docking, Aurora Tankers, trough its Class, was able to get hold of IMS Diving. After initial surveys IMS removed the wire entirely, designed and fabricated a special “flange clamp system” which was installed under water at the outer Cristóbal anchorage during rough weather conditions. After sea trials the systems proved efficient and all leakages had ceased. The Vessel was permitted by the Panama Canal Authority to transit the Panama Canal. Post transit a new survey was conducted by IMS (during night) and the system still proved successful with no leakages at all. The vessels was permitted by flag State , underwrites and class to proceed to offloading port in Ulsan, Korea, which it successfully reached after a 4-week sea voyage. Post discharging the Vessels could sail to a very affordable dry dock in China for permanent repairs. Zero leakages and/or water ingress had occurred during the sea passage and the vessel arrived in dry dock with its temporary repairs intact.
The Owners, its P&I and underwriters had saved multi million dollars by avoiding expensive emergency dry docking in Panama, avoiding to transfer all her cargo to another vessels during expensive and complex STS operations, avoided additional freight by another vessel for the entire cargo to her destination in Korea, avoided severe amounts in Off hire, avoided expensive ballast voyages post an eventual emergency dry docking etc. for the net amount of 70k$.
The above is as atypical example of what IMS is capable, willing and ABLE to do when other fails and surrenders. Working in harsh environments in the North Sea, Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands has given us very valuable experience and training for working during dark cold hrs. in rough weather conditions offshore.