Download - Hydrex Underwater Technology

Number 175
Hydrex US: Fully operational in North America
Ecospeed chosen for new cruise
ship built by Meyer Werft
Hydrex active with jobs around
the world
The second edition of the
Journal of Ship Hull
Performance
An interview with Koen
Smouts, Hydrex Equipment
Officer

Worldwide network of offices
and service stations
Underwater solutions
avoid drydocking
Offshore repair and
maintenance services
Fully trained and certified diver/technicians
Removal of heavy marine fouling
on FPSO and drill vessels
Fast response centers with
instant mobilizable equipment
Turnkey underwater solutions for the offshore industry
Phone: +32 3 213 5300 (24/7)
Fax: +32 3 213 5321
E-mail: hydrex@hydrex.be
www.hydrex.be
2

Table of contents
Hydrex US: Fully operational in
North America 5 - 10
Ecospeed chosen for new cruise ship built
by Meyer Werft 11 - 15
Hydrex active with jobs around the world 17 - 22
The second edition of the Journal of
Ship Hull Performance 23 - 24
An interview with Koen Smouts,
Hydrex Equipment Officer 25 - 26
3

Message from Hydrex
founder Boud van Rompay
Last month we included a special
brochure with our magazine
that highlighted the activities of our
office in Spain. We follow that up this
month with a feature article on our
Tampa Bay office.
The Hydrex office is fully established
and ready to mobilize immediately. To
offer the swiftest possible service to
customers, the fast-response center of
the US office is stocked with an extensive
range of state-of-the-art trucks,
tools and diving support equipment that
is available at all times for the underwater
teams. This enables the office to
mobilize diver/ technician teams immediately
for all kinds of operations on
vessels and off-shore units calling on
ports in Canada, North, Central and
South America as well as the Caribbean.
The second feature article in this magazine
includes interviews with representatives
of the Meyer Werft shipyard in
Papenburg, Germany and of SICOR
GmbH, a Hamburg-based coating application
company. With them we talk
about the first in a series of two newbuild
cruise vessels recently built by
Meyer Werft, the first of that famous
shipyard’s vessels to be given an Ecospeed
treatment. The underwater hull
coating will protect it against cavitation
and corrosion damage throughout its
entire service life as well as making it
possible for the cruise line to achieve
enormous fuel savings with an environmentally
safe hull coating system.
In our monthly around the world section
we give you an update of some of
the in-situ jobs that were carried out by
Hydrex diver/technicians across the
globe. This month you can read about an
underwater bow thruster reinstallation
and a propeller blade cropping in Panama,
an insert repair and an underwater
stern tube seal replacement in Algeciras,
an insert repair in Flushing and a propeller
blade straightening in Rotterdam.
Further on in this magazine you can
read about the content of the upcoming
second edition of the quarterly Journal
of Ship Hull Performance. This Journal
is intended to help shipowners, operators,
port authorities and anyone in the
shipping industry who is interested in
saving money and being a good citizen
as far as the environment is concerned,
to see their way through the maze of
data and scientific and product literature
regarding various types and brands of
hull coating systems and choose the best
solution for their individual situation.
We end the magazine with an interview
with Koen Smouts, the man responsible
for the organization of the Hydrex
fast-response centers that allow us to
mobilize swiftly to any kind of job,
anywhere in the world.
We hope that this magazine will encourage
you to call us if you have a problem
or need maintenance work carried out or
if you want to move your ship or fleet to
an environmentally safe, highly fuel
efficient hull coating system. We can
offer turnkey solutions that include the
engineering as well as the practical part
of any operation.
Best regards,
Hydrex founder
Boud van Rompay
Hydrex US: Fully operational in North
America
ISO 9001 certified
To receive a free copy, fax to:
Hydrex N.V. +32 3 213 53 21
or e-mail to hydrex@hydrex.be
4

Hydrex US: Fully operational
in North America
The Hydrex office in Clearwater,
Florida, in the Tampa Bay area
is fully established and ready to
mobilize immediately. The office
has a fast-response center that is
equipped with a full range of diving
support equipment and everything
needed to carry out Hydrex underwater
operations at short notice.
This enables Hydrex LLC to efficiently
service vessels and offshore
units calling on ports in Canada,
North, Central and South America
as well as the Caribbean.
Because of the nature of repair work,
it is often necessary for solutions to
difficult problems to be worked out
in a short time period, sometimes
even while an operation is already in
progress. This can only be done successfully
by technical experts who
have familiarity with the challenges
involved and the relevant know-how
to resolve such technical difficulties.
This is why all staff members of the
Hydrex office in Clearwater undergo
The Hydrex office in Clearwater, Tampa is fully equipped and ready to mobilize
immediately.
stringent training at the Hydrex headquarters
in Antwerp, after which they
are skilled to perform a wide range of
operations. They can carry out both
simple and complex jobs even in the
harshest of circumstances and achieve
this uniformly without unnecessary
loss of time or quality.
“To offer the fastest possible service to customers, the
fast-response center of the US office is stocked with an
extensive range of state-of-the-art logistics, trucks, tools
and diving support equipment.”
To offer the fastest possible service to
customers, the fast-response center
of the US office is stocked with an
extensive range of state-of-the-art,
trucks, tools and diving support equipment
that is available at all times for
the underwater teams. This enables
the office to mobilize diver/technician
teams immediately to all kinds of operations.
Saving significant amounts of time,
trouble and expense through on-site
underwater work, the offered services
All Hydrex US staff members have received stringent training at the headquarters
in Antwerp.
5

isks and would not let the vessels sail
to a different location before the oil
leaks had been permanently repaired.
Therefore a team immediately left
“The Hydrex flexible mobdock enables our diving teams
to carry out any required work in-situ and underwater but
in a dry environment, saving the owner the time and
money which going to drydock would entail.”
A dive support vessel is part of the
fast response service offered by
Hydrex US.
range from a detailed inspection of a
vessel’s external condition and any
required maintenance or cleaning
work all the way through to highly
technical major repairs. Repairs to
thrusters, propellers, rudders, stern
tube seals, damaged or corroded hulls
and all other underwater services are
done while the vessel is in-situ. This
eliminates the need to drydock, along
with the loss of time and production
this entails. Working closely with
owners, managers and supervisors, all
used methods are fully approved by
all major classification societies.
from the Hydrex office in Clearwater,
Tampa together with the needed
equipment on each occasion and set
up a diving station at the berthing
location of the respective ships.
Hydrex teams carried out the repairs
with the use of the company’s proprietary
flexible mobdock technique
which allows divers to create a dry
environment around the stern tube
seal assembly. This enables them to
carry out any required work in-situ
and underwater but in a dry environment,
saving the owner the time and
money which going to drydock would
entail.
New York
A full inspection of the vessel in New
York revealed that huge quantities of
fishing line and nets around the stern
tube seal assembly had caused the oil
leak. Moreover, the inspection also
Some cases in point.
Underwater stern tube
seal repairs in New York
Mississippi and Alabama
Underwater stern tube seal replacements
on vessels berthed in New
York, Gulfport (Mississippi), and
Mobile (Alabama) were carried out by
Hydrex diver/technicians. All three
vessels had oil leaks and were not
allowed to sail unless permanent
repairs were carried out.
The U.S. Coast Guard has very strict
policies concerning environmental
By performing repair and maintenance work underwater off hire time is
minimalized.
6

assembly and the installation of the
flexible mobdock, the team removed
the old seals. Next they positioned and
bonded the new seals. The entire unit
was reassembled and pressure tests
were carried out with positive results.
Every day a ship has to go off hire
brings about a substantial loss of
money. Flexibility is therefore essential
during operations like these. The
teams worked in shifts to perform the
operations within the shortest possible
timeframe. Much to the satisfaction of
the ship owners, Hydrex was able to
perform the repairs in a very tight
timeframe with no time wasted.
Stern tube seal replacements and other repairs are carried out in-situ, eliminating
the need to go to drydock.
revealed that part of one of the propeller
blades was also missing, causing it
to lose its balance and its optimum
efficiency.
Arrangements were made to perform a
propeller repair while the Hydrex
diving team replaced the worn seals
one by one with new seals. By cropping
the opposite blade to exactly the
same shape as the damaged blade, the
propeller’s performance was brought
back into balance.
seals. Next they reassembled the entire
unit and carried out wear-down
measurements with positive results.
Mobile
The seal repair on the vessel in
Mobile, Alabama had to be performed
before the ship was transferred to a
new chartering party.
Hydrex diver/technicians already performed
a similar operation on one of
the customer’s other vessels so he
Permanent insert repair
on bulk carrier in Virginia,
U.S.A.
Hydrex was contacted to carry out
permanent insert repairs on board a
bulk carrier that had suffered several
cracks in the shell plating of its ballast
tanks. In total three new insert plates
were installed while the vessel was
berthed in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A.
A fully-equipped diver/technician
team was mobilized from the Hydrex
office in Clearwater, Florida, to Norfolk.
When the team arrived on site
with two locally constructed tailormade
cofferdams, they carried out
both an onboard and an underwater
inspection of the damaged area.
Gulfport
The operation in Gulfport started with
a thorough underwater inspection of
the stern tube seal assembly. This
revealed that the running surface of
the stern tube seals was severely worn
and no longer functional. After a
discussion with all parties involved, it
was decided to remove the spacer ring
and create a new running area.
The team then installed the flexible
mobdock and replaced the damaged
“The Hydrex office in Clearwater is also capable of
carrying out high quality and fast underwater maintenance
and repair work on offshore units located in the
Gulf of Mexico.”
knew that Hydrex has well trained
diving teams and knows how to handle
this kind of situation without loss of
quality or time.
After the preliminary underwater
inspection of the stern tube seal
After the designated ballast tanks
were declared gas free, the team prepared
and set up all the equipment for
the inside work. Next they removed
the part of the bilge keel covering the
damaged areas.
7

The divers positioned the first cofferdam
on the in-water side of the hull
over the first location. Next the old
shell plating was removed and a new
insert was installed and secured with
full penetration welding. The first
cofferdam was then removed and
positioned over the second crack
while at the same time the second
cofferdam was installed over the location
of the third and final cracked area.
The team then removed the shell plating
at both locations and positioned
and secured a second and third new
insert following the same procedure.
A surveyor from the American Bureau
of Shipping who was on site then
tested all three inserts with ultrasonic
testing equipment and approved the
work.
Rudder
alignment in
Mobile
In February Hydrex performed an
inspection and realignment of the
rudder of a 245-meter tanker while the
vessel was afloat in Mobile, Alabama,
U.S.A.
A Hydrex diver/technician team mobilized
from the office in Clearwater
to assist the vessel during its stop in
Fairground in the Gulf of Mexico.
After the team carried out a comprehensive
inspection of the rudder it
After the team secured the rudder,
they used special hydraulic equipment
to detach the rudder from the vessel
and align it correctly. This was done in
close communication with a representative
of the manufacturer.
“All projects are engineered and carried out by Hydrex
in close cooperation with the customer. Starting from
the design and construction of equipment all the way
through to the actual repair or replacement and subsequent
follow-up.”
was confirmed that its indicated pitch
position was not in accordance with
its actual pitch position. Therefore
the rudder needed to be realigned.
No other damage was found on the
rudder so that no further repairs were
necessary.
Because such an operation was not
allowed at the vessel’s location the
decision was made to move the vessel
to Mobile, Alabama. At this location
the team positioned two barges with
all their equipment next to the rudder
and started the operation.
During the operation, the team worked
in shifts around the clock. Extra
welders were also mobilized to secure
the rudder again after the alignment.
This was done to finish the operation
as soon as possible and avoid any additional
loss of time for the customer.
Hydrex US offers turnkey
maintenance and
repair solutions for offshore
units
The Hydrex office in Clearwater is
also capable of carrying out high quality
and fast underwater inspection
and cleaning operations or any other
maintenance and repair work on offshore
units located in the Gulf of
Mexico. A Hydrex diver/technician
team can be on location and ready to
service offshore units or offshore related
vessels within days.
By taking advantage of the Hydrex’s
in-house designed range of cleaning
units all types of fouling can be removed
from any type of offshore structure.
This offers owners big savings in fuel
when moving their unit from one location
to another which also means
reduced GHG and other emissions. It
also reduces drag and weight on the
unit and facilitates any needed full
scale inspection.
All used methods are fully approved by all major classification societies.
8

An extensive range of state-of-the-art equipment enables Hydrex US to mobilize diver/technician teams immediately to all
kinds of operations.
For offshore cleaning operations an
all-embracing combination of single,
twin and triple head cleaning machines
is used. The twin head unit is
designed for cleaning light, medium
and heavy marine fouling from tubular
pipes, bracings and legs of offshore
oil and gas platforms, jetties,
piles, intakes and ship hulls. The triple
head machine on the other hand is
easily adaptable to the flat shapes of
a ship or pontoon hull. It has a reverse
function and its heads self-adjust to
the contours of the hull making it far
easier to clean complex areas.
Preventive and protective maintenance
services can also be provided. These
are highly effective and save a great
deal of time and money in comparison
to the costs incurred during a break-
down for which there has been no preparation.
With preventive engineering
and scheduled maintenance, work
delays can be eliminated or reduced
significantly.
Hydrex also has the know-how and
expertise to provide comprehensive
on-site repair services and project
management for offshore related
units. These services include a wide
range of possible repair operations
that make use of specially designed
cofferdams. These can be rigid or flexible
depending on the type of repair.
All projects are engineered and carried
out by Hydrex in close cooperation
with the customer. Starting from
the design and construction of equipment
all the way through to the actual
repair or replacement and subsequent
follow-up.
Case in point.
Full UWILD inspection
and cleaning of drilling
vessels in Gulf of Mexico
In the second half of 2010 Hydrex
diver/technician teams carried out a
full inspection and removed all fouling
from three drilling vessels in the
Gulf of Mexico owned by Transocean,
the world’s largest offshore drilling
company. This was done to reduce the
weight and drag of the vessels and
increase their available deck load.
9

Hydrex had carried out repairs on
other offshore units belonging to the
same owners. Impressed by the complete
package of both engineering
and project management that Hydrex
offers, the owners asked Hydrex to
perform the inspection and cleaning
of one of their drilling vessels in the
Gulf of Mexico. Satisfied with the
way the operation was handled, a
second and third drilling vessel were
soon added.
The scope of work consisted of a comprehensive
UWILD inspection of the
three vessels, particularly the weld
seams, and a cleaning of the underwater
parts of the units. Replacement
of anodes was also performed wherever
needed and all overboard lines
were blanked in order to enable
inspection from the inside. The
Hydrex teams also assisted with the
removal of one of the vessels’ thrusters
so that they could be overhauled.
The vessels were away from the field
and because the crew also needed to
carry out other maintenance and repair
work on them, a very tight schedule
had to be followed. This schedule
allowed the team to plan the inspection
and cleaning operation around the
other work. Flexibility is a very important
factor during a large operation
like this. Hydrex teams are trained to
adapt themselves to the customer’s
program as much as possible instead
of the other way around.
Contact Hydrex US
info@hydrex.us
www.hydrex.us
Phone: +1 (727) 443 3900 (24/7)
Fax: +1 (727) 443 3990
CLASS
ACCEPTED
UNDERWATER
STERN TUBE
SEAL REPAIRS
UNDER
WARRANTY
Using our flexible mobdock
method to create a dry
underwater environment, we
have carried out stern tube seal
repairs and replacements underwater
for some years now in
cooperation with top specialist
suppliers.
This technology brings drydock
conditions to the ship rather
than having to take the ship to
drydock, saving a considerable
amount of time and money in
doing so.
This class accepted method is
performed by our diving teams
under our warranty. It can be
used while the ship is carrying
out its usual cargo or other commercial
operations in port.
Visit the special stern tube seal
repair section on our website for
more information and examples
of the many seal repairs we have
performed in recent years.
Hydrex US can efficiently service vessels and offshore units calling on ports in
Canada, North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.
Phone : +32 3 213 5300 (24/7)
Fax: +32 3 213 53 21
hydrex@hydrex.be
www.hydrex.be
10

Ecospeed chosen for new cruise
ship built by Meyer Werft
Meyer Werft, one of the world’s
leading shipyards with the
most modern facilities for designing
and building the largest luxury
cruise ships, has turned to Ecospeed
from Hydrex for the first time for
lasting, non-toxic protection of the
underwater hull of two of their latest
newbuilds.
Meyer Werft – Tradition
and Innovation
Headquartered in Papenburg, Germany,
Meyer Werft has been building ships
since 1795. Today the family owned
business has a reputation for the
highest standards of engineering
and manufacturing available anywhere,
achieving quality of construction
second to none, and for always
delivering their ships on time.
Ecospeed will protect the newbuild cruise vessel and will optimize its performance.
The Meyer Werft facilities in
Papenburg include two huge roofed
construction docks which enable them
to build the largest cruise ships afloat,
as well as a wide range of other ships
up to 180,000 gross tons, all under
"The newbuild cruise ship is one of the largest ever built
by Meyer Werft"
cover, something which no other shipyard
can accomplish. Perhaps the
company’s biggest asset is its 2,500
plus employees, including some 300
apprentices undergoing professional
training, part of Meyer Werft’s ongoing
investment in human resources.
Utilizing cutting edge IT systems
from design through to manufacture,
and innovative construction technology,
Meyer Werft’s shipyard is
Europe’s most advanced.
Meyer Werft facilities in Papenburg.
For decades, Meyer Werft has been
a pioneer in operational environmental
protection, paying great attention
to emissions control, environmental
management and pollution avoidance.
This philosophy pervades the shipyard
itself and is also a major concern in
the designing and building of ships:
minimizing the vessels’ environmental
impact is a major concern.
11

Cruise ship project
One of Meyer Werft’s recent projects
was to build two new ships for one of
the world’s most respected cruise
lines. The first of these has been completed
and launched. The 128,000-ton
ship is close to 340 meters (1,115 ft,)
in length, 38 meters (125 ft) wide
(maximum) and has 14 decks. It is one
of the largest cruise ships ever built
by Meyer Werft.
The cruise line for whom the ship was
built is very conscious of, and has a
reputation for, the minimal environmental
impact of its vessels.
The non-toxic Ecospeed coating is the
best solution for cruise ship owners
from an environmental and cost
saving (fuel efficiency) point of view.
Not only does Ecospeed not leach
biocides into the oceans, it lasts the
lifetime of the ship, requiring only
minor touch-ups, and can easily be
cleaned in the water which greatly
improves ship performance and helps
reduce CO2 emissions.
This was a new product and application
for Meyer Werft, but one which
fits in well with their innovative
approach and environmental concerns.
Meyer Werft assigns a Project Manager
to each ship owner. In this case,
the Naval Architect who was in charge
of the design of the new cruise ships,
One of the sections of the cruise vessel prior to Ecospeed application.
to be painted in place and the paint
had to blend in smoothly with the coating
already on the blocks.
There was some concern about trying
something completely new since the
shipyard had its guarantees to meet
and could not take risks.
"The non-toxic Ecospeed coating is the best solution from
an environmental and cost saving point of view.”
Philip Gennotte, was asked to also
take on the project management of the
ships he designed. With degrees in
Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture
from Newcastle University in
the UK, Philip Gennotte has been with
Meyer Werft for nine years. This was
the first newbuild project he managed.
“The owners came to us and asked us
if we could use Ecospeed on their
new ships,” recalls Philip Gennotte.
“This was a new product for us so
we researched it to make sure it
would work with our new strategy of
building the ships in blocks. It is not
a matter of simply painting the completed
hull.” The ship was built in
blocks at six different shipyards and
these blocks were then assembled at
the Papenburg shipyard. Each block
had to be painted before the assembly
stage, as once the blocks were in place
they could not be accessed for painting.
After the blocks were welded
together, the seam and the overlap had
“Even in our ranks there was skepticism
about using Ecospeed,” says
Philip Gennotte. “They either hadn’t
heard of it or it was a different application.
One of the big things that was
different for us was that it had to be
applied in one or two thick coats [two
coats of Ecospeed must achieve a
minimum thickness of 500 microns
each or a total of over 1000 microns].
How could you guarantee that the coat
was going to be that thickness”
12

Final stages of Ecospeed application on underwater hull of cruise vessel.
“We worked it out with Ecospeed and
the owner and it worked really well.
It’s been a really good result. The
owner is also very happy with the
result.”
The application itself was done by one
of Meyer Werft’s paint subcontrators,
SICOR. “It was a matter of explaining
it, going through it, planning it,
organizing it, coordinating it and it
worked. One of the discussions from
the beginning that had to be solved
was how to work with the pumps
and spray equipment because if it’s
not done right they can get clogged up
and they have to be cleaned. That was
solved. It worked.”
Why Ecospeed
There were several reasons for the
owner’s insistence on using Ecospeed
for the underwater hull rather than
a biocide leaching antifoulant or a
silicone hull paint.
Philip Gennotte explains the owner’s
reasons for specifying Ecospeed:
“They had three main concerns which
were answered by Ecospeed. For this
ed into a lot of ways of improving
their performance and Ecospeed with
regular hull cleaning was a solution
that worked for them. The improved
performance led to lowered fuel costs
and CO2 emissions. Another important
factor was extending the drydocking
period to five years. The ship
"The ship was built to meet a docking period of five years
and because Ecospeed is guaranteed not to need replacing
for 10 years, this was a vital factor."
owner the environment is extremely
important. It’s important for all ship
owners at the moment, especially
cruise line owners, it really is, but this
company has a particularly strong
reputation for environmental care to
maintain, so they want to really make
sure they do whatever they can.
Another factor is performance. With
their other cruise ships they had look-
was built to meet that docking period
and because Ecospeed is guaranteed
not to need replacing for 10 years, this
was a vital factor.”
Ecospeed can be an important part of
any ship owner’s overall strategy for
13

then the seams were painted in place
in the Papenburg shipyard.
The blocks and rudders were built in a
total of six shipyards in Germany and
Poland and transported to Papenburg
for the assembly.
The paint was applied by two paint
specialist companies, SICOR at the
German shipyards, and FaSt for the
Polish shipyards in Gdansk (under
supervision of SICOR). SICOR was
overall responsible for all the painting.
Ecospeed will protect the newbuild cruise vessel and will optimize its performance.
ship performance and environmental
friendliness.
The durable coating improves the
hydrodynamic characteristics of the
hull and increases fuel efficiency.
Because Ecospeed creates a smooth
surface on the hull, the coating helps
the ships glide more easily through
the water. Since the engines do not
have to be pushed as hard to get from
one place to the next, several cruise
vessels coated with Ecospeed can
actually run with reduced propulsion
power. This helps to both save energy
and conserve fuel.
Being non-toxic, the coating is also
effective in prohibiting corrosion and
resisting barnacle formation while
providing a more environmentally
friendly alternative to traditional
coatings and paint. The coating does
not emit solvents or residues during
its application, regular cleaning or
ongoing sailings, and has an expected
life of 25 years at sea.
As explained, the ship was built in
blocks and these blocks were fabricated
in different shipyards and painted
In all, 18 blocks were coated with
Ecospeed, a total of 330 linear meters
when assembled. The total area painted
was 14,800 sq. mtrs.
The painting began in June 2009 and
was completed in November 2010.
“Since the engines do not have to be pushed as hard,
several cruise vessels coated with Ecospeed can actually
run with reduced propulsion power.”
at the yard where they were built.
Then they were transported to Papenburg
and there assembled to form
the completed ship. The blocks were
welded together, the welds ground and
Nine different paint inspectors were
involved in the application, chief
among them, Ecospeed inspector
Erwin Honoré who attended many of
the paint applications at the different
Applying the paint
The hull of the cruise ship was not
simply built and then painted in one
place once construction was complete.
Ecospeed inspector at work.
14

Another benefit of using Ecospeed is
the fact that it is environmentally safe.
Mr. Bachmann notes, “In this day
and age it is very important to use
products which do not pollute our
environment.”
“We only experienced a very smooth
working relationship with Hydrex
personnel and with the Ecospeed
application,” concludes Sicor’s Managing
Director.
Application of Ecospeed on bottom plating of cruise vessel.
The results testify to this excellent
teamwork. The application on the hull
of the cruise ship is one of the best in
the history of Hydrex and Ecospeed.
shipyards. A veteran Ecospeed paint
inspector, he verified that the surface
preparation was adequate (and in at
least one case had to have parts of the
hull blocks re-blasted to ensure an
adequate profile), and that each coat
was correctly applied to a minimum
thickness of 500 microns. The inspection
of the paint application was supervised
by Manuel Hof who heads the
Ecospeed division of Hydrex.
All blocks were coated to the necessary
thickness of 1000 microns. When
the blocks were welded together,
the resulting seams were coated in
place, resulting in a smooth, seamless
coating for the entire hull.
SICOR
SICOR GmbH is a Hamburg based
company specializing in corrosion
protection in a variety of fields of
which ships and new ship construction
is an important one. They have established
long term relationships with
shipyards including Meyer Werft and
have a subsidiary office in Papenburg
from which their operations with
Meyer Werft, who greatly value their
work, are run.
Even though SICOR has worked successfully
for years with Meyer Werft,
this was the first time the company
was contracted to apply Ecospeed.
Reinhard Bachmann, Managing Director
of SICOR, describes the project
including the preparatory actions they
took: “As we had not worked with this
product before, we consulted other
paint companies who had used Ecospeed,
and visited the manufacturer in
Belgium to learn about the paint and
its application. We did an analysis
of all parameters and set up sample
surfaces to achieve the best quality on
the ship. Ecospeed must be applied
exactly according to the instructions
Summary
The combined efforts of an enlightened
ship owner, an innovative and
quality conscious Meyer Werft, a
highly professional SICOR team, and
Hydrex have resulted in a top notch
application of Ecospeed to the underwater
hull of a stellar new cruise ship.
On a practical level, the ship will maintain
a very high level of fuel efficiency
which, with regular in-water hull
cleaning, will remain steady throughout
the five year period before she
goes to drydock, and for her entire
"Hydrex qualified paint inspectors were on site to make
sure that the results were correct. There was not one
technician who did not give us his full support, which is
very rare in the industry."
in the data sheet by a skilled sprayer
in order to achieve a smooth, high
quality result.”
Hydrex qualified paint inspectors
were on site to make sure that the
results were correct. “The process
with the technicians went very well
and they supported us in every way,”
continues Mr. Bachmann. “There was
not one technician who did not give us
his full support, which is very rare in
the industry.”
life. At the same time she will sail confidently
knowing that she is causing
zero pollution to the marine environment
where she sails and docks.
Based on experience, when she does
go to drydock in five years, the underwater
hull paint will be pristine and
require at the most some very minor
touch-ups.
15

Permanent rudder repairs now
possible without drydocking
Hydrex has developed an
entirely new method enabling
permanent repairs of
rudders without drydocking
the ship. Permanent repairs
were hitherto not possible and
ships had to drydock in case a
major defect was found. The
newly designed equipment is
lightweight and can be mobilized
very rapidly in our
special flight containers. Therefore
this new service is now
available worldwide.
Major defects on rudders very
often cause unscheduled drydocking
of ships. The new
method designed by our technical
department allows engineers,
welders and inspectors to perform
their tasks in dry conditions.
Class approved permanent
repairs in-situ, without moving
the ship, are now possible
and commercial operations
can continue. Steel repairs and
replacements can be performed
and pintle and bushing defects
can be solved without the loss of
time and money associated with
drydocking.
The equipment can be mobilized
within hours to any port in the
world and is available for rapid
mobilization from the Hydrex
headquarters in Antwerp.
16

Hydrex around the world
Bow thruster reinstallation in Panama
Last month a Hydrex diver/technician
team reinstalled a bow
thruster unit on a 294-meter cargo
vessel during its stop in Panama.
The unit had been removed during
the vessel’s last drydock visit and
was brought on board again last
year after being overhauled.
Hydrex diver/technician performing an inspection of the gearbox of the bow
thruster unit prior to installation.
Preparation of the bow thruster tunnel
for the reinstallation of the unit.
The vessel lay at the inner anchorage
close to the quay were it was protected
against bad weather conditions. The
team arrived at the ship with a workboat
and started the operation with a
full check-up and cleaning of the bow
thruster unit.
onboard team started the reinstallation
of the unit to the engine room while
the second team simultaneously started
the fitting of the propeller blades.
At this point the vessel’s schedule
made it necessary for the ship to unload
its cargo, after which it sailed
through the Panama Canal. On the
other side the diver/technician team
put the bolts on torque and performed
all the necessary tests, including a test
of the pitch position communication.
This successfully concluded the repair
and allowed the ship to make full used
of its thruster again, without having to
go to drydock for the reinstallation.
While part of the diver/technician
team started with the preparation of
the thruster tunnel, the rest of the team
readied the thruster room. The unit
was then lowered into the water and
brought inside the thruster tunnel.
Once this was done the team leader,
who was coordinating the operation
from inside the monitoring station,
gave the underwater section of the
team the go-ahead to position and
secure the bow thruster unit. Next the
Hydrex diver/technician during installation of mobdock.
17

HYDREX WEST
AFRICA IN
PORT GENTIL,
GABON
Hydrex West Africa is situated in
Port Gentil, Gabon right next
to Cape Lopez Bay. Working closely
together with the headquarters in
Antwerp the office can benefit from
Hydrex’s long tradition in the ship
repair and offshore industry.
Insert repair on bulk
carrier in Flushing
When a 266-meter bulk carrier
suffered damage to the outer
shell plating of one of its ballast
tanks, a Hydrex diver/technician
team performed a permanent insert
repair during the vessel’s stay in
Flushing.
A diver/technician team with equipment
was mobilized to the vessel from
the Hydrex headquarters in Antwerp.
When the team arrived on site they
carried out both an onboard and an
Port Gentil is a general and bulk cargo
port. It is the only port on the Gabon
coast with a bunkering service. Thanks
to the sheltered environment, the bay is
ideally suited for in water work. This
combined with its central location on
the African West sea coast makes it the
ideal place to have repair or maintenance
work carried out on a ship,
barge or rig in optimal circumstances.
Hydrex West Africa can mobilize
teams immediately to service vessels
and offshore units in Port Gentil or any
other suitable location in West Africa.
A good example of this is the recent
removal, repair and reinstallation of
a 40 ton swing-up azimuth thruster
of an offshore crane barge that was
servicing rigs in an oil field off the
coast of Gabon. The entire operation
was performed while the unit stayed at
anchorage just outside the oil field.
Hydrex West Africa
Sis TLC/ Cité Shell
BP 2160 Port Gentil - Gabon
Phone : +241 04 16 49 48 (24/7)
E-mail: westafrica@hydrex.be
Certified Hydrex welder performing
full penetration weld.
underwater inspection of the damaged
area. This revealed that an area of
600 mm x 300 mm needed to be cut
away and replaced with a new insert
plate.
The divers then positioned a cofferdam
on the in-water side of the hull
over the affected location. While the
new insert was being fabricated to the
exact measurements, the team removed
the frames covering the affected
area and cut away the damaged section
of the shell plating. Next they
prepared the edges of the hole for
the installation of the insert which
Hydrex diver/technician getting ready
to install mobdock over underwater
side of affected shell plating.
was positioned and secured with a full
penetration weld according to the
class-approved Hydrex procedures.
When the insert plate was fully welded,
ultrasonic testing was carried out
with positive results. The full penetration
weld was also inspected from the
outside, found in a good condition
and authorized by the attending classification
society inspector. Finally the
team reinstalled the frames which had
been removed, concluding the repair.
This allowed the customer to sail his
vessel with a permanently repaired
hull.
New permanent insert plate with all
frames installed again.
18

Underwater stern tube seal replacement
in Algeciras avoids drydocking
To save time and money for the
owners of a 270-meter container
vessel that was leaking oil, a
Hydrex diver/technician team replaced
four stern tube seals, using
one of Hydrex’s flexible mobdocks.
This enabled the team to carry out
the entire operation underwater
during the vessel’s stop in Algeciras.
The diver/technicians mobilized from
the Hydrex office in Algeciras, arriving
at the dock together with all the
needed equipment. The Hydrex team
leader met up with the vessel’s owner
One of the two fully equipped dive support workboats of the Hydrex office in
Algeciras
the dry underwater environment created
around the stern tube seal assembly
by the flexible mobdock. The four aft
stern tube seals were replaced and
bonded one by one. The team created
a new running area for these seals as
well.
Subsequently all parts were reinstalled
and secured. After a leakage test was
successfully performed, the rope guard
was welded on again.
The Hydrex flexible mobdock creates a dry working environment around the stern
tube seal assembly.
and superintendent while the rest of
the diving team set up a work station
to monitor all underwater activities.
Next, all quayside preparations were
made for the main activity, which
started immediately with the removal
of the rope guard. This was followed
by a thorough underwater inspection
and shaft wear down readings.
forward seals were damaged as well,
the team first replaced both of them
and created a new running area.
Hydrex diver/technicians then entered
Taking advantage of more than 35
years of experience and with well
trained diver/technician teams, all
Hydrex offices know how to handle
any kind of operation to the highest
standards and always saving time for
the customer.
Next the flexible mobdock was installed,
creating a dry working environment
for the divers, making it
possible for the entire stern tube
assembly to be cleaned. Because the
Hydrex diver/technician working on
the fore seals of the vessel
19
All Hydrex diver/technicians have
experience with working inside the
flexible mobdock.

Aship that has suffered damage
to its propeller blades might
have 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 underwater,
Hydrex can restore the propeller’s
balance, resulting in a green
light from the class for the vessel
without need for drydocking. This is
illustrated by a propeller blade
straightening in Rotterdam and a
propeller blade cropping performed
in Panama by Hydrex diver/technician
teams recently.
Propeller modifications in
Rotterdam and Panama
Propeller blades can be straightened
with the Hydrex cold straightening
machines. The Hydrex research department
is constantly looking into
ways to develop this technique even
further and new improved versions are
put in use every few years, the latest
of which being earlier this year. This
enables the Hydrex diver/technicians
to straighten blades that have been
bent over an even bigger angle.
The crew of a 183-meter tanker suspected
that there was damage to their
vessel’s propeller blades caused by
travelling through ice. An underwater
The latest version of the Hydrex cold
straightening machine was put in
practice earlier this year.
Fast and high quality in-situ repair services in the
Western Mediterranean area and North Africa
The Hydrex office in Algeciras
is ready to mobilize immediately
with their two dedicated
dive support vessels. Both vessels
are fully equipped as service
stations for a wide range of
repair operations and allow for
a fast response in the bay of
Algeciras, Gibraltar
African ports.
and North
As part of the Hydrex group, Hydrex
Spain takes advantage of the companies’
37 years of experience. All
operations are carried out by highly
certified diver/technicians all of
which have been trained in the
headquarters in Antwerp and have
extensive experience, enabling the
office to offer their customers the
high quality Hydrex is known for.
Jobs recently carried out by Hydrex
Spain include a propeller modification,
pipe repairs, rudder repairs
and stern tube seal repairs in
Algeciras, propeller modifications
in Cadiz and an azimuth bow
thruster removal and reinstallation
on a pipe laying vessel in Cartagena.
Hydrex Spain
Poligono Industrial Palmones II
Calle Dragaminas Nave N29
11370 Algeciras • Spain
Phone: +34 956 675 049 (24/7)
Fax: +34 956 921 914
E-mail: info@hydrex.es
20

Bent propeller blades can often be straightened to restore
the propeller’s efficiency and balance.
Damaged blades of a propeller can be cropped if the
damage is too extensive to be straightened.
inspection carried out by a Hydrex
team confirmed this to be the case.
The vessel was therefore trimmed
during its stay in Rotterdam and the
team straightened the bent propeller
blade tip. This restored the blade to its
original condition.
When a blade is damaged too severely
by ice of other floating debris,
straightening is not feasible. If it is
decided that cropping is the only option,
measurements are taken and used
to calculate the exact radius of the
area to be cropped.
This was the case with the propeller
blades of a 197-meter ro/ro vessel. A
Hydrex diver/technician team mobilized
from the office in Clearwater,
U.S.A. to assist the vessel in Panama.
To make a full assessment of the
damage, the team first performed an
underwater inspection. They then
used the information acquired to find
the best cutting line that would bring
the performance of the propeller back
as close to its optimal condition as
was possible.
The actual repair job consisted of the
four blades being modified underwater
one after the other by the Hydrex
diver/technicians. The area to be cropped
was marked out on each blade and
verified. The blade was then cropped
and its edge ground to give it the correct
radius. When the cropping was
complete, the blades were polished to
make sure that any remaining loss of
efficiency would be minimal.
Hydrex has been cropping propellers
since 1985 and straightening them
since 2000. Both cropping and
straightening are done to restore the
propeller’s performance to as close to
its optimum condition as possible and
to balance it. This can help a vessel
that is suffering loss of speed due to
an out-of-balance propeller. Hydrex
diver/technicians can assist in working
out the best solution and have the
skill and experience needed to implement
the theoretical solutions that
have been worked out.
An underwater inspection is carried out to take the measurements
needed to calculate the best cutting line.
The cropped areas are polished to make sure that any
remaining loss of efficiency is minimal.
21

Permanent underwater insert repair in Algeciras
Recently Hydrex Spain carried
out a permanent insert repair
on a 225-meter cargo vessel at
anchorage in Algeciras. The vessel
had suffered a stress-related crack
on the port side next to the bilge keel
and water was coming into the ballast
tank. The classification society
therefore required that a repair be
carried out before the end of April.
After arrival on site and installation of
a workstation, both an on-board and
an underwater inspection were made
of the damaged area. This revealed
that a 450mm x 335mm insert plate
needed to be installed.
Before the team could install the
cofferdam that would seal off the
One of two identical dive support vessels of the Hydrex office in Spain.
damage, part of the bilge keel needed
to be removed. When this was done
and the cofferdam was in place, the
diver/technicians cut away the area
around the crack to the same size as
the insert, which was then welded
with a deep penetration weld according
to the class approved Hydrex procedures.
As a result of the permanent repair
carried out with the ship at anchor,
further attention to the hull cracks will
not be needed during her next drydocking.
The vessel was ready to sail
on time as the repair was carried out
well within the available time frame.
Hydrex diver/technician carrying out
certified full penetration weld.
During the operation similar damage
was found in the same location on the
starboard side of the vessel. The team
therefore used the same procedure to
install a 700mm x 335mm insert plate
on that side as well.
Cofferdam installed over the affected
area.
HYDREX OFFICES IN INDIA READY TO MOBILIZE
Hydrex has two fully staffed
offices in India. One in
Mumbai and one on Visakhapatnam,
covering the East and the
West Coast of India.
Equipped with a complete array of
Hydrex diving and repair equipment,
both offices are ready to
carry out any necessary repair and
maintenance work and provide
preventive as well as problem solving
services.
All operations will be carried out
by professional Hydrex teams,
trained and qualified to perform
complex technical tasks underwater.
All procedures are fully approved by
all major classification societies.
Hydrex Mumbai
Phone/Fax:
+91 222 2046 988 (24/7)
E-mail:
mumbai@hydrex.be
Hydrex Vishakhapatnam
Phone/Fax:
+91 891 2711 863 (24/7)
E-mail:
vishakhapatnam@hydrex.be
22

The new quarterly Journal of
Ship Hull Performance
Journal of Ship Hull Performance, Vol I, Issue 2, April 2011
Demystifying Ship Hull Coating Systems
The second edition of the quarterly
Journal of Ship Hull
Performance is due for publication
at the end of April. By the time you
read this it will be available on line
at www.shiphullperformance.org
for download. Those who have already
registered for either emailed
or printed versions of the Journal
can expect to receive their copy(ies)
in due course if they have not already
done so.
This second issue of the Journal is
intended to help shipowners, operators,
port authorities and anyone in
the shipping industry who is interested
in saving money and being good a
good citizen as far as the environment
is concerned, to see their way through
the maze of data and scientific and
product literature regarding various
types and brands of hull coating
systems and choose the best solution
for their individual situation.
The contents of Issue 2 of the Journal
of Ship Hull Performance consists of
the following:
Hydrex White Paper No. 3, Clean
Ship Hulls and Ports, Without Compromise:
Best approach to safeguarding
of the marine environment
through correct hull protection and
maintenance. This White Paper is reprinted
in full in the Journal. It is
a guide to ship hull coatings and
maintenance which are not only costeffective
but also environmentally
safe.
Hydrex White Paper No. 4, Ship
Hull Coating Systems Simplified,
How to choose the right ship hull
coating system, from an economic
and environmental perspective – an
executive manual. This recently released
White Paper is an overview of
the possibilities for ship hull protection
and fouling control available
23

commercially at this time, noting the
strengths and weaknesses of each type
of system so that a decision maker or
executive responsible for selection of
hull coating systems for ships or fleets
can make an accurate and informed
choice when it comes to painting ship
hulls, at newbuild stage or when the
ship is to be drydocked for repainting.
The overview approaches the subject
more from an economical and environmental
viewpoint than from a technical
or scientific one.
There are many papers and much
literature on the subject and much of
it is highly scientific, written for
chemists, biologists, engineers and
technical people, rather than for executives
and decision makers.
This White Paper considers the three
main classifications of hull coating
systems currently in use without going
into manufacturers or brand names.
Once the decision has been made as
to which type of coating system to
employ, further research will be needed
to select the best specific brand
and coating to suit particular circumstances.
Michael P. Schultz, Furthering
Research on Ship Hull Hydrodynamics,
features a short article based
on an interview with Michael Schultz,
Program Director of Ocean Engineering
at the US Naval Academy
at Annapolis, Maryland, and a reprint
of his paper, “Economic impact of
biofouling on an naval surface ship,”
published at the end of 2010 in
Biofouling, containing very useful
information to any shipowner or operator
looking to cut fuel costs and
GHG emissions.
Maxim Candries, Marine Fouling
and Hull Coating Research, is a
short article about Maxim Candries,
an expert on hull friction, fouling,
coatings and fouling control working
at the University of Ghent, and a
reprint of his essay, “Greener coatings
for cleaner ships” published in The
Journal of Ocean Technology and
reprinted in full.
Ship Hull Coatings – A Paint
Inspector/Specialist’s Perspective,
is an in-depth interview with Gunnar
Ackx, joint owner of SCICON Worldwide,
a specialist coatings inspection
and consulting company based in
Bruges, Belgium. The interview contains
practical advice on hull protection
and fouling control.
Issue 2 of the Journal of Ship Hull
Performance is packed with useful
information intended for shipowners,
operators and all decision makers and
executives in the marine industry.
The Journal can be downloaded at
www.shiphullperformance.org
IN-SITU BOW THRUSTER OPERATIONS
The Hydrex lightweight flexible mobdocks are
designed to be easily transported around the
world and are used to close off the thruster tunnel
on both sides, allowing divers to perform repairs
and other operations in a dry environment around
the bow thruster unit.
This technique enables them to reinstall the propeller
blades of an overhauled thruster inside the thruster tunnel
after the unit has been secured or replace the blades or
seals and perform repair work on a specific part without
removing the unit.
Since the development of this flexible mobdock technique,
numerous thruster repairs have been carried out by
Hydrex diver/technicians around the world.
There is no need to send the vessel to drydock as all
operations can be carried out in port or while the vessel
is stationary at sea. Normal commercial activities can
therefore continue without disruption.
hydrex@hydrex.be
Phone: + 32 3 213 5300 (24/7)
Fax: + 32 3 213 5321 www.hydrex.be
24

Making sure that the Hydrex
fast-response centers are fully stocked
with state-of-the-art equipment
An interview with Koen Smouts, Hydrex Equipment Officer
The Hydrex office have fast response
centers that are designed
for a fast mobilization to vessels all
round the world. For this reason
they are equipped with a wide-ranging
stock of logistics, tools and dive
support equipment as well as a fleet
of vehicles and workboats.
Hydrex Equipment Officer Koen
Smouts is the man responsible for the
organization of these fast-response
centers. Since he joined the Hydrex
team eleven years ago he has done a
full reorganization of the warehouse,
enabling the swift mobilization our
teams are known for.
Hydrex: Can you briefly tell us about
your career so far
Koen Smouts: I’ve always worked in
the mechanical sector. I originally did
repairs in Belgium and northern
Europe. I worked for the company
I keep for myself and also expect from
others. Boud asked me to create a nice
system which would keep everything
in its right place and which would
make it easy to check the inventory.
I started with the diving equipment,
the helmets and the hydraulic power
packs. Next I started working on the
certificates and made sure that everything
got checked and certified on a
“If you don’t look professional, how can you expect
people to trust that you can work professional What
people see above the water is reflected in what is carried
out underwater.”
Hydrex Equipment Officer Koen Smouts supervising the mobilization for a big
repair operation.
in perfect condition. When they come
back from a job they have to check
each item separately before they put it
back on the shelves. That way they
don’t have to worry about it when they
take it off the shelves for a job, speeding
up the response time. All the chests
you see over there contain working
equipment which we maintain in as
good a shape as possible. Buying all
that equipment is a big investment and
we want to keep it safe, to make sure
that it lasts as long as possible. The
longer you can use it the more the
investment pays off.
next door to Hydrex. When this company
ceased its business I met Boud
van Rompay who asked me to come
and work for Hydrex. I started off
doing all-round work and organizing
all the equipment. Purchases were
done by someone else back then.
About five years ago I took over that
job.
H: Was everything organized so nicely
back then
KS: I have very high standards which
regular basis. After that I worked my
way through the rest of our stock until
everything in our warehouse was where
it needed to be and in the inventory.
H: Everything in our fast-response
center is state-of-the-art, in tiptop
shape and certified, which is rather
unique I would say.
KS: If you want to do a high standard
job you have to have high standard
tools and equipment. We train our divers
to report as soon as something is not
H: Have you also helped getting the
fast-response centers of our other
offices on the rails
KS: I’ve been to our US office a couple
of times to train the new staff members
and teach them how they can
organize their fast-response center in
the most economical way. Showing
people something is always better
than just telling them. I did the same
for Hydrex Spain. New divers are also
paired to experienced staff members
in all offices. I keep an eye on this
25

training so that they learn how to get
everything ready for an operation.
H: Are you also involved in organizing
the mobilization of operations
KS: I am involved with all operations,
whether big or small, guiding the
loading of the trucks and vans to make
sure that everything is done correctly.
This is of course done in close coordination
with the people of our technical
department. They receive the order
and then check with me to see what
we have in stock and what needs to be
bought. I am in charge of rush purchases.
This is necessary because if you
have to leave for an emergency operation
there is just no time to wait until
it has gone through all the regular
lines. You have to be able to react
immediately. For this reason I work
with a lot of regular suppliers. Since
the start of the financial crisis they
have a lot less in stock, and working
with just one fixed supplier is not
enough anymore. You have to have
several people you can call to get what
you need as soon as possible, because
entire fleet is refurbished or even
replaced if needed. They are repainted
and new vehicle graphics are applied.
The inside of the vans are also reorganized
regularly to turn them into
state-of-the-art mobile monitoring stations.
It is essential that all the equipment
you use, from the clothing and the
shoes to the containers and the workboats,
is in perfect condition and looks
“We redesigned the inside of our containers and built them
in-house. On the one hand to reduce the investment in them,
but on the other hand because we wanted to make sure that
we had the best possible equipment for our divers.”
often there is no time to wait until they
have ordered something. Very few
companies these days have such a big
stock as we have. Over the years I
have built a good relationship with
those people. I already worked with a
lot of them when I worked in the
mechanical sector.
H: Do you also handle bigger purchases
KS: Yes. Whenever a new van or
truck needs to be ordered I also take
care of this and in case of a workboat
sometimes even from the design phase
and the manufacturing of the very first
part of the boat. Every few years our
Koen has organized the Hydrex fast-response center to allow for a very swift
mobilization in case of an emergency.
pristine. This is very important for
customers because how you look
reflects on the quality of the work. If
you don’t look professional, how can
you expect people to trust that you can
work professionally What people see
above the water is reflected in what is
carried out underwater. Just this weekend
our divers went on a propeller
modification operation. Both the owner
and superintendent of the vessel
were at the site. They followed the
operation on the big monitoring
screens in the dive support container.
They were impressed with our professionalism
and complimented the divers
who worked long hours. The owner
26
also told them that he was impressed
with the equipment they brought. It is
nice to hear when you come in on
Monday morning that your work is
appreciated. This also generates new
work. Word of mouth is important.
H: Our range of various containers is
one of the most striking features of
Hydrex. Have you been involved in
creating them
KS: Yes, Boud and I designed the
inside and changed the entire concept
of these containers and we built them
in-house. We want to make sure that
we have the best possible equipment
for our divers, to meet the high standards
we offer our customers. Since
we began to customize our containers,
we have seen very similar containers
used by other companies who have
seen how easy they are to use. We did
the same with the video units used
during an operation. They used to be
these big blue boxes. When we wanted
to make them smaller and lightweight
and at the same time capable of recording
more video material they told us
this was not feasible, so we designed
them ourselves in cooperation with a
manufacturer. Now almost everyone
is using them.
H: That is also a nice compliment I
think. Thanks for the interview.

SHIP HULL PERFORMANCE TECHNOLOGY
Ecospeed ship hull performance
technology lasts
the lifetime of the vessel. The
need for full repaints during
future drydockings is eliminated.
An impermeable and extremely
tough coating is combined with
an underwater cleaning system
keeping the hull roughness at an
optimum level and resulting in a
major saving in fuel.
a
Ecospeed is a 100% non-toxic
technology and is guaranteed
for 10 years. Its surface texture
will improve over time with regular
inwater hull maintenance.
Phone: +32 3 213 5318
Fax: +32 3 213 5321
info@ecospeed.be
www.ecospeed.be
27

Keeping ships in business
Hydrex underwater technology
and services provide
high quality solutions
to the repair and replacement
problems encountered
by ships and offshore vessels.
We deliver a complete line of
services that may reduce or
avoid off-hire time entirely.
From major projects to simple
inspections, Hydrex has the
worldwide facilities and capability
to meet your demands.
Drydocking is not necessary
so time, trouble and expense
are saved by doing work
in-situ. Hydrex services cover
highly technical major repairs
or replacements of a ship’s
external underwater equipment
such as thrusters, propellers,
rudders, stern tube
seals and damaged or corroded
hulls.
Headquarters Hydrex N.V. - Antwerp
Phone: + 32 3 213 5300 (24/7)
E-mail: hydrex@hydrex.be
Hydrex Spain - Algeciras
Phone: + 34 (956) 675 049 (24/7)
E-mail: info@hydrex.es
Hydrex LLC - Tampa, U.S.A.
Phone: + 1 727 443 3900 (24/7)
E-mail: info@hydrex.us
Hydrex West Africa – Port Gentil, Gabon
Phone: + 241 04 16 49 48 (24/7)
E-mail: westafrica@hydrex.be
www.hydrex.be
Hydrex India - Mumbai
Phone: + 91 222 2046 988 (24/7)
E-mail: mumbai@hydrex.be
Hydrex India -Vishakhaptnam
Phone: + 91 891 2711 863 (24/7)
E-mail: vishakhapatnam@hydrex.be