ICE – News no.1 (Boiler rebuild - Hitachi HZAM-32 A)

ICE have carried out a full retubing of a Hitachi HZAM-32 A "D-type / Two drum" water tube boiler onboard a DWT 55.000 tanker vessel.
The boiler is of 32.000 kg/h steam capacity at 16 bar g

The vessel is equipped with only one boiler, which suffered from fire damage in the Atlantic ocean carrying a full cargo (68.000 m3) of fuel oil bound for Houston, USA.
Because of this, the vessel was without steam for heating and had to go for nearest port running the main engine on diesel oil. The vessels cargo pumps were steam driven and without steam for heating the cargo and for the pumps, the cargo could not be discharged before the boiler was repaired.

ICE was contacted by the owners for whom we have carried out several repairs over the years. Upon vessels arrival to the East coast of USA our emergency repair team went onboard. The aim was to see if there was any chance to carry out an emergency repair allowing discharging the cargo.

As more than one third of the +1700 generating bank tubes was damaged badly and the rest of the tubes heavily affected it was recommended not to fire the boiler before complete retubing was carried out.

At ICE's office, we had the drawings allowing us to start manufacturing all the various types of tubes for the boiler as well as a sufficient stock of tubes to start the production, and very soon a repair contract was agreed with the owners. This contract was secured in direct competition with local boiler repair companies as well as several local shipyards, - both due to reasonable price level as well as the fast delivery set up from ICE's workshop in Denmark.

Simultaneously with the pre-manufacturing of the close to 2000 tubes for the boiler, our emergency team onboard was expanded to a full repair team of 8 boilermakers all supplied from the skilled workforce of ICE. Sufficient tools and equipment was shipped to the vessel and upon completion of the first shipment of tubes from ICE's workshop the boiler onboard was made ready for installation of these.

As the work was carried out with the vessel alongside and carrying a full cargo of oil, considerable safety measures was set up in co-operation with USCG, Underwriters and classification society DNV. Almost daily inspections was carried out by their representatives and we are proud to say that not in a single occasion the work was delayed due to this as the full repair team from ICE managed to perform the work in accordance with the safety measures put up.

The work was carried out to the full satisfaction of both owners as well as attending DNV surveyor, within the time limit agreed with charterers and owners in our repair contract. In addition, the total repair cost was within the budgeted.

Upon completion of the repair, ICE overhauled the complete burner and control system in connection with commissioning and testing. A new ignition burner of ICE design was fitted complete with oil pump, burner lance etc. as the original system was completely worn out. A new soot blower lance was also fitted.

The very same day the boiler was commissioned the vessel suffered a collision with a barge on tow, and punctured the hull in forepeak area. ICE successfully carried out a permanent repair to full satisfaction of the class, - but that is another story ……