Rapid repair gets LNG carrier back to work in just 40 days

LNG compressors are vital to the reliable operation of LNG carriers, always maintaining the pressure of the stored gas and often used to supply the vessel’s engines as well. As such, regular maintenance is very important and any problems need to be resolved as quickly as possible.

Handling unexpected challenges

Anthony Veder Rederijzaken B.V. is a prominent gas shipping company with a fleet of 30 modern vessels, all equipped with Laby® compressors from Burckhardt Compression. A recent maintenance intervention on the Coral Siderea was planned for the replacement of the valves. However, during the visit, the field service representative found severe damage to the cylinder, crankshaft and piston; a situation that needed to be resolved as quickly as possible.

The repairs would need the vessel to be in dry dock, which would normally require considerable forward planning. Given the substantial costs of downtime for LNG carriers, a fast resolution was essential. Fortunately, an open dry dock was available is southern Spain and Burckhardt Compression’s network of European service centers would ensure local support would be on-hand.

While the vessel was transferred to the dry dock, specialists at Burckhardt Compression put together a plan for the repairs and started to manufacture the required parts. The project would involve three of the company’s service centers in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland to ensure the fastest conclusion.

Achieving effective solutions

The most effective repair involved boring the cylinder out and installing an oversized piston, which was shipped from stock parts in Switzerland, along with a new crankshaft that was reworked to fit the exact requirements of this project. At the same time, the flywheel and counterweights were also exchanged and reworked.

Of course, for equipment being installed on a marine vessel, every part had to be certified by Bureau Veritas, which all adds to the lead time for the project. However, Burckhardt Compression’s team worked round-the-clock to expedite the whole process and the whole project was completed in just 40 days.

Throughout this period, the repair team provided daily status reports to the customer, as well as having regular meetings with the stakeholders of the project. This ensured that any challenges were quickly resolved, and the customer could make plans to restart commercial operations with the Coral Siderea.

Exceeding expectations

René van Dierendonck, Asset Manager at Anthony Veder Rederijzaken B.V. commented: “Burckhardt Compression delivered exceptional service and outstanding results. This incredible team truly exemplified excellence and their commitment to delivering top-notch service was evident in every interaction. Clear, concise, and timely communication made the entire process seamless and having one single point of contact made it very easy to coordinate. 

“The work delivered was of the highest quality, exceeding our expectations. The Field Service Representatives who came on board were not only professional but also incredibly knowledgeable. A big thank you to this exceptional team. I wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone seeking excellence. They are more than just service providers; they are true partners in success.”

The expertise and flexibility of the Burckhardt Compression team ensured that the project was completed in the shortest possible time. A coordinated approach and continuous communication with the customer delivered a seamless solution that will afford continued reliability for years to come.

Burckhardt Compression is the worldwide market leader for reciprocating compressor systems and the only manufacturer and service provider that covers a full range of reciprocating compressor technologies and services. Its customized compressor systems are used in the gas gathering and processing, gas transport and storage, refinery, chemical, petrochemical as well as in the industrial gas and hydrogen mobility and energy sectors. Burckhardt Compression’s leading technology, broad portfolio of compressor components and the full range of services help customers around the world to find the optimized solution for their reciprocating compressor systems. Since 1844, its highly skilled workforce has crafted superior solutions and set the benchmark in the gas compression industry.

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For further information please visit www.burckhardtcompression.com