GALLERY: Damen Overhauls Saga Sapphire

The Saga Cruises-owned Saga Sapphire left Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam on December 19, after receiving extensive repair and refurbishment works as well as a scheduled Class Survey.

The most challenging item on Damen’s to-do list was replacing the 200-metre vessel’s two sewage plants.

”To get to the sewage plant, we had to go through the hull and the engine room bulkhead,” said Paul Ippel, Area Sales Manager/ Project Manager at Damen Shiprepair & Conversion. ”This involved a lot of coordination between various sub-contractors.”

With such major works being carried out on the sewage and grey water system and the fresh water tanks also being blasted and repainted, Damen had to take into account the 425 people, consisting of the vessel’s own crew and the owner’s subcontractors who stayed on board for the duration of the repair project. To meet this particular challenge, Damen provided the Saga Sapphire with a drinking water supply from shore in addition to grey water disposal during its stay at the yard.

Damen’s scope included repairs to the deck steel work and a comprehensive overhaul of the lifeboats and their davits. Further work included general repairs to the vessel’s piping, electrical and hydraulic systems. Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam used its biggest dry dock – the 307 metre number 8 dock – to house the Saga Sapphire during the repair works.

Whilst in Rotterdam, the Saga Cruises-owned vessel also underwent a scheduled DNV GL Class Survey.

”Part of this involved inspecting the vessel’s 12 metre long propeller axle,” said Ippel. ”On a big project like this, comprising 224 planned items that included over 600 separate tasks, efficient communication is of the essence. It was a complicated and challenging job but it is great to see another cruise ship repair project finished on schedule.”