The recent drydocking of the LNG carrier Milaha Qatar, managed by BSM’s specialised LNG ship manager Pronav, was one of the most complex projects in ship management. LNG carrier drydockings typically require extensive preparation periods of two years or more, reflecting the significant technical and operational challenges involved.
For this 20-year-old vessel, the docking marked her fourth-class renewal, and during the accompanying CAP (Condition Assessment Program) survey she achieved the highest possible rating, CAP 1, across Machinery, Cargo and Hull. During the drydocking, the cargo membrane, one of the vessel's most sensitive systems, also underwent minor but highly sophisticated repair work.
Midway through preparations, the warlike situation in the Arabian Gulf required Milaha Qatar to deviate from her originally planned docking location in the Middle East where a large number of critical spare parts had already been positioned.The Pronav team responded immediately and approached class and flag who granted a short, safe extension of the vessel's class status, buying time to find an alternative. The team then secured a drydock slot at the Yiulian Shekou Repair Yard in China and, working at speed, re-coordinated all spares and around 30 different service providers to the new location.
Despite this last-minute change of plan, Milaha Qatar's docking proceeded very smoothly and safely, without complications. She left the yard two days ahead of the pre-agreed schedule, and the entire project was completed below the budgeted cost, a strong result given the scale, complexity and short-notice disruption involved.
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