Solstad Offshore: CSV Normand Pacific’s first drydock at Gibdock

Gibraltar-based ship repair company, Gibdock, has taken Solstad Offshore’s Construction Support Vessel (CSV), the 5000 dwt Normand Pacific, for its first special survey.

Gibdock managing director, Richard Beards, said: ”Solstad Offshore is a repeat customer that we hold in very high regard and we were delighted to welcome them back again.

“They are a quality operator and it is a positive reflection on our growing reputation within the offshore sector that they have chosen us to repair and maintain their vessels.”

Gibdock said that the 122m long ‘Normand Pacific’, built at the Fosen shipyard in Norway in 2010, entered the Gibdock yard in mid-May for a three week program of works, including two weeks in drydock and one week alongside. The vessel had been operating offshore West Africa, but was due to start a new deployment offshore Mexico. Richard Beards said that Gibdock was Solstad’s choice because of its location, as Solstad was able to redeploy the CSV with limited deviation, and hence lower costs.

As explained in the press release, the main works were on CSV’s two Schottel propulsion thrusters which, in addition to three Brunvoll tunnel thrusters and a Brunvoll retractable azimuth thruster unit, were dismantled in the dock, and moved to the yard’s workshops for extensive overhaul work. Gibdock fitters assisted owner-arranged manufacturer technicians with the servicing of all six units.

In addition, the company said it assisted MacGregor service engineers with the overhaul of the CVS’s 200 tonnes lift capacity offshore crane.

Paul Cano,Gibdock ship repair manager, said: ”It was very pleasing to have been chosen to carry out the vessel’s first drydocking. We worked well with Solstad Offshore and the crew of the ‘Normand Pacific’ to undertake an extensive scope of works in what was quite a demanding time frame.”

Gibdock noted that after the repairment, the vessel was able to sail on to its next charter on June 10.

Malcolm Rosie, technical director, Solstad, said: “We were delighted to return to Gibdock with Normand Pacific, after a gap of several years since we were last in this region for drydocking. We were very pleased with the outcome and would have no hesitation returning to Gibdock in the future.”

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