When an Offshore Support Vessel experienced damage to its thrusters during operation, it was luckily able to attend a scheduled docking at a Danish shipyard for inspection and repair.

During the inspection, it was discovered that all three thruster shafts had suffered severe damage and required replacement. The vessel owner decided to order new thruster shafts directly from the OEM.

The blades also suffered from damage and was sent to MarineShaft workshop for repair.

Accurate on-site 3D scanning of thruster housings

MarineShaft was requested by the shipyard to assist with on-site 3D scanning of the three Azimuth Thruster housings. The purpose of the scan was to verify the alignment and condition of the bearing seats in the thruster housings before installing the new shafts.

Two MarineShaft service engineers went to the shipyard with portable 3D scanning equipment and carried out the measurements on-site

The high-precision 3D scanning provided accurate documentation of the internal geometry of the thruster housings, enabling the owner and shipyard to make well-proven technical decisions.

The measurements confirmed that all three thruster housings were intact and correctly aligned within acceptable tolerances. As a result, no further machining or structural repairs of the housings were required.

Repair of Azimuth Thruster propellers in MarineShaft workshop

While the thruster shafts were manufactured,the three Azimuth Thruster propellers were transported to MarineShaft’s workshop in Hirtshals for repair.

Following an initial inspection, a repair procedure was prepared and submitted to the classification society ABS for approval. MarineShaft specializes in welding repairs and holds class-approved welding procedures, enabling fast initiation of repair work and reduced lead time.

The damaged blade edges were rebuilt by welding, and the blades were grinded to restore the original blade geometry. Our repair included balancing of the Thruster propellers. After the repairs were completed, the propellers were inspected and approved by an ABS class surveyor.

Combining workshop capability with on-site expertise

This project showcases MarineShaft’s ability to combine advanced on-site inspection technologies with workshop-based repair capabilities. MarineShaft supported both the shipyard and vessel owner in completing the repair efficiently and with full technical documentation.