UT Thickness Testing on VLCC

[NDTLevel3]

Can anyone with experience on VLCCs answer these questions?

1. Can you share some experience of climbing in these tanks eg, fixing points etc.?

2. Does the vessel supply an inflatable raft in the event of tank flooding (doing readings from the raft)?



William E. Blum
Manager
NDT Consulting Group Inc.

http://www.ndt-cgi.com

wblum@ndt-cgi.com
USA 1-877-638-2441
Fax/Voice Mail 1-214-853-5131
Sweden 46-42-14 39 99

 

[MotoGP]

Dear Mr. Blum:

Will you please forgive me, in advance of my reply, as I am not sure how much information that you have available to you for the subject inspection. It has been my experience that the VLCC will not be unlike either a Panamax or a Suezmax in the COT's...the only significant difference being a larger amount of "real estate" that you have to cover.

Generally speaking, there are ladders and wide areas of stringer plating along the aft transverse oil-tight bulkhead, with an "emergency" ladder located i.w.o. the forward transverse oil-tight bulkhead. There usually are pad-eyes or other staging attachment devices so that the upper portions of these tanks can get the usual paint squirted on these surfaces...but I sense that you already know all of that.

It is also not entirely clear to me whether you are planning to do some type of forensic study, or whether you plan to participate in an IACS Class Society-required gauging inspection. Will you be, at any time, in the drydock?...if you are planning to go "rafting", then, yes, the ship should provide you with a raft. Are you seeking access to one specific area, such as the area where there are no stringers to allow close-up access to either the inner longitudinal bulkheads or the centerline longitudinal bulkhead? If I may ask, how old is the vessel? An even more bold question...with which IACS Society is the vessel Classed?

Best Regards,
Pete

 

[GreenRichie]

I am sure you are awair of this but just a couple of things on safety. If you are rafting out tanks please remember your confined space entry training, vis toxins, poisions, oxygen depletion, meanse of escape, emergency rescue, isolation of the tank from other systems and for rafting, only raft on a falling level so there is no chance of being caught by a stringer and isolated from the exit.