Long-term service agreement smooths dry docking of four LNG carriers

When a ship goes into dry dock for service or survey, ready availability of spare parts is a critical element in keeping a tight schedule and minimising commercial downtime. Covid added a new layer to this challenge, disrupting supply chains and creating new worker safety practices.

A long-term service agreement (LTSA) with marine compressor manufacturer and service provider Burckhardt Compression, however, made it possible for the scope and expected spare parts to be prepared well ahead of time for the scheduled five-year dry docking of four LNG carriers in South Korea in 2022.

The four LNG carriers, SM Eagle, SM Seahawk, Hyundai Princepia and Hyundai Peacepia, are managed by South Korean shipmanager KLCSM, part of Korea Line Corp. All the vessels were built in 2017 and have capacities of 174,000 m3. SM Eagle, SM Seahawk and Hyundai Princepia are under ABS and Korean Register class, while Hyundai Peacepia is classed by Lloyd’s Register and Korean Register class.

Under the LTSA, the Winterthur-based Burckhardt Compression provided a full range of compressor and auxiliary services for four LNG carriers, which made it possible for the scope and expected spare parts to be prepared well ahead of time. The service was completed within three and a half months, despite the challenges of Covid and hot and rainy weather as well as a confined work area, with simultaneous work ongoing by different teams.

“The service was completed within three and a half months, despite the challenges of Covid”

During the dry-dock period, Burckhardt Compression serviced the compressor systems and auxiliaries, including Mytec gas coolers, Leser pressure safety valves (PSVs), SKF lubricators, and Emerson pressure control valves (PCVs). The four LNG carriers are all equipped with Laby-GI 5LP250 compressors, which had logged between 35,100 and 38,567 running hours prior to dry docking. The preparation for the service began over the course of a year before the dry-dock period and involved not only the co-ordination of several Burckhardt Compression locations, but also of authorised service partners.

The service scope included a 30,000-hour overhaul, reconditioning of parts, and spare parts supply for the compressor systems. Burckhardt Compression Korea provided a complete range of services as agreed in the LTSA, including project management, co-ordinating several locations and authorised service partners, as well as executing complete overhauls of the service of gas coolers and PSVs at the Burckhardt Service Center in South Korea.

Despite the tight maintenance schedule, Covid-19 rules and strict regulations to guarantee workplace safety, Burckhardt Compression Korea was able to provide high-quality OEM-level services. The optimised compressor performance ensured that it would last at least until the next service in 30 months.

KLCSM superintendent N.H. Park said close collaboration with Burckhardt Compression Korea led to the successful completion of the five-year dry dock maintenance of the high-pressure cargo compressors. “Several critical and minor issues had been observed during the maintenance period. Through quick and technical reaction, all the issues could be treated properly without any delay. Also, we would like to express our special thanks for ‘zero incidents’,” he said.