GulfMark NS were experiencing problems with excessive rolling on the vessel ‘Highland Chieftain’ and a modification to the vessel was required. This modification required antiroll tanks to be installed onto the ship in order to reduce the roll motion and roll angle during adverse weather conditions. The antiroll sections were manufactured in the Netherlands and GulfMark contracted UK Docks to carry out the installation of the tanks onto the vessel. Timing was crucial on this project as the vessel was on charter providing Offshore Supply Services however, due to a gap in the charter schedule, the vessel was able to collect the pre-manufactured units from a port in the Netherlands and sail to UK Docks facility at Middlesbrough.
On arrival, the vessel was dry docked and preparations began with removing all of the vessel structure aft of the accommodation so that the new antiroll tanks could be installed directly against the aft face of the vessels accommodation. The tanks were constructed as a complete single section weighing approximately 60 tones and extending across the entire weather deck from port to starboard side and extend upward from the deck to the bridge deck.
Once the tanks were installed as a seamless and fully integrated part of the ships structure, further extensions were made to the ships structure to include foundations for ships cranes that were installed to both Port and Starboard sides of the vessel. All ships structure such as walkways and access stairs, which had previously been removed, were refitted to the vessel.
The vessel was re-painted on completion of all works and the vessel was handed back to the owners on the scheduled date, sixteen days after arrival at UK Docks dry dock facility.
