China: Safe Docking And Undocking of MV CMA CGM LIBRA at CIC Shipyard

On the afternoon of September 29th 2011, the lasting drizzling did not bring any influence to the work in full swing at the floating dock “CS EMEISHAN”. 36 pcs. of additional blocks had been placed in good order. Today, they were ranked here only for a distinguished guest: M/V CMA CGM LIBRA, an ultra-large container vessel.

She is 363 m in length and 45.2 m in width, loading more than 600 containers equivalent to 11500 tons of cargo. The aggregate docking weight reached 60,000 tons, which meant the average load of each block would be 160 tons during her docking. It was 88% of the maximum load of side block. Moreover, the blocks iwo E/R, No.1 tank and No.2 tank, would be overloaded by nearly 30 percent.

The shipyard leaders paid high attention and held two meetings regarding serious situation of local overload. They urged Engineering Dept. and Technology Dept. personnel for countermeasures and finally appealed to the reinforcement of the blocks: the blocks as transverse reinforcements were added by TK No. 1 while longitudinal reinforcement blocks at the spot 2 meters away from the center line between TK No.2 and No.3. At the aft part of E/R, blocks were added both transversely and longitudinally. The total number of the additional blocks reached 36 pieces. As a result, the average load of the blocks was reduced by 9% and the local load by 30%.

Since there were no ready blocks, the Docking Workshop decided to make use of the idle blocks. The workshop organized all the master hands and all the docking technicians worked with united strength; Within eight hours, the 36 blocks were set up, involving the re-arrangement of nearly 100 blocks. Previous to that, with the strong support of Engineering Dept., Material Dept. and other departments, all the block foundations and 60 pieces wooden cubes had been well prepared before the dock was floated.

At 17:10, 29th, the ship owners of the captured vessel arrived at “CS EMEISHAN”. Looking at the orderly blocks, especially the additional 36 reinforced blocks, they smiled happily and praised the special service received.

On the morning of October 3rd, after the successful job in dock the vessel undocked and left the shipyard.

[mappress]

Source: csgcic, October 16, 2011