Compressing the dolphin remediation program into a nine day shut window eliminated interruption to shipping schedules and subsequently production.
Scope of Work
Dampier Salt’s portside infrastructure allows 225-metre-long ships to berth alongside the jetty that comprises of 7 dolphins. Dampier Salt required the dolphins to be upgraded to ensure their continual performance and longevity. Each dolphin comprises 10 piles to keep them firmly in position.
The specific scope included:
- Clean, wrap and shield 4 out of 7 dolphins.
- Design, fabricate and install 22 fenders.
- Replace top panels of main ship fenders.
- Remove redundant ladders from all 7 dolphins.
- Design, fabricate and replace 4 hawser rails.
- Design, fabricate and install 1 rope barricade.
- Design, fabricate and fit 2 rope deflectors.
The works were performed with Primero management and construction crew over an intense 9-day shutdown window, scheduled between normal ship movements. To assist the Primero construction team, marine vessel and diving subcontractors were engaged. Pile cleaning was performed using 11,000 PSI water blasters. Pile cleaning, wrapping and shielding was performed using divers and floating platforms or barges depending on the weather conditions. An innovative design utilised slotted handrails for each of the new Hawser rails, rope deflectors to help avoid future Hawser rail damage and fenders fitted with standard HDPE pipe as a replacement to the currently used wood.
The execution of this project was reliant on multiple challenges including wind, tides, current and swell. Daily ‘war room’ style review meetings and a maintaining a close relationship with Dampier Salt was crucial to the completion of this incident free project.
