Prior to commencing their latest deployment, the Maj. Stephen W. Pless was cleaned and inspected by Seaward Marine Services, Inc., DMV Coastal Pride. What started out as an inspection and propeller and sea chest cleaning quickly turned into a full underwater hull cleaning once the initial hull inspection was completed.  The dive crew was able to transition seamlessly to accommodate the request, since the Coastal Pride is a floating dive station and carries all required ships husbandry and hull cleaning equipment including two Submersible Cleaning and Maintenance Platforms (SCAMP) multi-brush machines, which are piloted by qualified divers. The SCAMP has the ability to clean a five foot section of the underwater hull with each pass. The USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless will be able to make and maintain all desired speeds as they deploy. 
 

Pre and Post Condition of Hull

Pre and Post Condition of Sea Chests

Pre and Post Condition of Propeller

 

Seaward’s Mobile Diving Unit 3 completed underwater hull cleanings on two Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV’s). Mobile-3 performed a full underwater hull cleaning on the USNS Trenton (JHSV-5), latest ship of this class and a partial cleaning and inspection of the USNS Choctaw County (JHSV-2) in a three week period of time. Cleaning of this class is made more challenging due to the foul release coating and the detailed cleaning needed on the water jet assemblies and impellers for the two underwater hulls. All cleanings were accomplished using NAVSEA 00C5 approved procedures.  As always the Seaward divers rose to the challenge.
 

Typical preclean conditions found

Seaward Mobile Diving unit 4 mobilized on August 16, 2015 for an extended three city road trip which covered 1620 miles. During the three week excursion four vessels were cleaned and two were certified with an American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Underwater Inspection In Lieu of Dry-Docking (UWILD). The TS State of Maine received a full underwater hull cleaning, ABS UWILD inspection, a Lamp Ray Hull Survey, and a Data Scan. The crew also cleaned and inspected the Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) Barge Oyster Bay. With the work in Castine, ME completed Mobile 4 demobilized and moved two hours south to Rockland ME for a full underwater hull cleaning and ABS UWILD inspection of the Giant Cement Companies Barge MBT-35. Upon completion of Barge MBT-35 the crew packed up and headed 350 miles farther south to Groton CT, the Submarine Capital of the World to provide services to the submarine community.

Matt O’Donnell, Port Engineer/Marine Surveyor with the United States Department of Transportation – Maritime Administration stated, “Tom, your crew did an excellent job. It was a pleasure working with such professionals.”

Capt. Dana Willis, Marine Operations Manager for the Maine Maritime Academy writes “Tom, Thanks for putting this whole operation together for us on short notice, and your entire crew was helpful and easy to work with through the project.”

Seaward Marine Services would like to commend the entire Mobile 4 dive crew and the Lamp Ray team for their professionalism and willingness to go where the work takes them on short notice. A job well done!

TS State of Maine with Mobile 4 and Lamp Ray crew alongside.

MMA Barge Oyster Bay

Giant Cement Companies Barge MBT-35

   
Submarine base at Groton, CT

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Underwater Repairs of the Cathodic Protection system on a Navy ship were completed in August, with the waterborne replacement of six ICCP system anodes by Seaward’s Mobile Diving Crew 2 in Norfolk VA.  A Cathodic Protection system helps to slow and combat the electrochemical effects of corrosion to a ships underwater hull, a condition which is always present due to the variations in the chemistry of metal, both within the hull, and between dissimilar metals.

The repair work included not only replacing the external anodes, fasteners, and dielectric shielding material around the anodes, but also the components on the vessels interior. The faring material, which is traditionally a two part capastic material installed as a dielectric shield, could not be used in an underwater environment so Seaward Divers used the U.S. Navy NAVSEA approved Hycote 461 faring compound on the areas where the capastic had to be removed.  Hycote 461 fairing compound is the preferred method when installing CP anodes in-water.

 By doing this work waterborne a significant savings was afforded the Navy.  Additionally, Seaward personnel completed the project three days ahead of schedule and 18% under budget, giving our customer a substantial savings. The Project manager and Mobile 2’s crew showed great professionalism, and did an exceptional job ensuring the ships underwater hull and appendages were protected once again against all forms of corrosion.

Great Job!
 

Typical Damaged Anode

Typical New Anode Installed using Hycote 461
 

Seaward Marine Services Mobile Unit 4 transited to Wilmington North Carolina during the July 4 weekend to clean the underwater hull of JPO Aquarius.  The crew mobilized the evening of July 2nd and started work the morning of July 3rd.  The dive crew worked through a hostile environment with a very swift non-stop current continuously for 18 hours to get the hull cleaning complete and the ship underway as soon as possible in the early morning hours of July 4.  As the dive crew was pulling away from the pier so was JPO Aquarius on to its next destination. We appreciate the dedication and commitment our divers put in to complete a task when asked, especially on Independence weekend.