Proprietary Rigging & Rapid Deployment: The Vertomech Advantage
Case Study: Project 05
CLIENT
Multiple 20-Year-Old MR Tankers
CLASSIFICATION
IRS & DNV
Bypass traditional scaffolding bottlenecks to accelerate Water Ballast Tank (WBT) upgradation and secure CAP 1 certification.
THE COMMERCIAL CHALLENGE
The Scaffolding Bottleneck
In maritime maintenance, time is the ultimate currency. When 20-year-old MR Tankers require comprehensive Water Ballast Tank (WBT) upgradations to secure CAP 1 ratings, traditional staging becomes a severe commercial liability.
Erecting and dismantling conventional scaffolding inside complex, confined tank structures takes several days. It drives up immediate drydock costs, creates access shadows that compromise coating integrity and ultimately extends off-hire periods, costing fleete vessel's planned operational downtime.
THE AQUANAV INTERVENTION
The Vertomech Deployment
OPERATIONAL PRECISION
Execution and technical standards
To eliminate the staging bottleneck, Aquanav deployed our proprietary Vertomech (VM) rigging system. Engineered specifically for complex marine environments, Vertomech allows our elite, certified and proficient squads to bypass traditional scaffolding entirely.
By executing high-stakes UHP blasting and precision coating applications via proprietary rigging, we transformed an expensive drydock procedure into a rapid, continuous-flow service that was executed while at sea, months before the vessel arrived at a shipyard for drydocking. Cost savings of more than 30% was the icing on the cake!
Execution Breakdown
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The 86-Day WBT Turnaround
Phase 2: Unhindered Surface Preparation
Suspended via the VM system, operators executed spot hydro-blasting using UHP 1050 Bar equipment. Because there was no scaffolding to maneuver around, the team rapidly achieved the mandated WJ 2 (ISO 8501-4) preparation grade and precision mechanical feathering without missing blind spots.
Phase 1: Rapid Rigging & Access
Instead of waiting for staging contractors, the Aquanav Squad immediately deployed the Vertomech system inside the WBTs. This granted our Coating repair technicians instant, unhindered access to the intricate network of stringers, bulkheads, and forepeak structures, ensuring zero operational downtime at the start of the project.
Phase 3: Shadow-Free Coating Application
Traditional staging often leaves "shadows" where coating fails to reach the required thickness. The Vertomech deployment allowed for a seamless, continuous two-coat airless spray application (utilizing high-performance epoxies like Jotun Balloxy).
The Commercial Impact & Verification
By eliminating the scaffolding requirement, the Aquanav Squad completed the active WBT operations in just 86 days—drastically undercutting traditional drydock timelines for 20-year-old assets.
Zero Staging Costs
Completely removed the logistical and financial overhead of traditional scaffolding.
Class Approval Verification
Final digital DFT gauge verifications consistently exceeded baseline thickness requirements (registering optimal readings between 251 µm and 376 µm). The methodology and results were rigorously verified, securing CAP 1 certifications under both IRS and DNV classifications.
The Verdict
project completion
The Vertomech Advantage is not just a technical deployment; it is a financial strategy. By integrating elite proprietary rigging architecture, Aquanav allows tier-one fleet operators to drastically reduce drydock times, protect asset valuations, and return to profitable charter operations faster than the industry standard.