Massive drydock No. 3
Inside Damen Shiprepair Brest’s drydock No. 3—at 420 meters, one of the largest in Europe—maintenance work was carried out on the ship's stabilizers, ABB Azipods, bow thrusters and water intakes.
Queen Elizabeth’s lifeboats, life rafts and tenders underwent routine maintenance, and the yard also cleaned and repainted the hull and topsides of the 2010-built Cunarder.
As earlier reported, inside the ship the refurbishment included a series of staterooms, suites and corridors, retail and the new Mareel Wellness & Beauty spa in conjunction with Canyon Ranch.
Major logistical operation
Damen said the project represented a major logistical operation, with multiple third-party teams working alongside the Shiprepair Brest personnel and each other. In total, around 250 people were involved. Large quantities of materials flowed on board the vessel while substantial amounts of waste came ashore for disposal as the accommodations were refurbished. A series of large temporary shelters were available for the contractors’ use.
The 12-day project was completed a day early, with Queen Elizabeth back at homeport Southampton on the morning of Nov. 27.
Convenient to Southampton
Damen Shiprepair Brest is convenient for cruise ship operators that use Southampton. The two locations are 10 to 12 hours of steaming time apart and have excellent ferry and air links. The yard has plenty of room for contractors to store and access their materials and equipment, an important requirement for large-scale projects on a tight deadline.
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Add Seatrade Cruise News to your Google News feed.