MARMC Dive Team Leads the Way with Unprecedented Underwater Rudder Reinstallation

Photo By Danielle Lofton | NORFOLK, Virginia (April 19, 2023) USS Iwo Jima’s (LHD 7) maintenance team stages the port rudder in preparation for a first-time and first-in-class underwater rudder reinstallation by Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center’s (MARMC) Dive Team. MARMC’s dive team worked continuously in two person teams for the first 23-hours to line up the 46,000-pound rudder into position with only two-thousandths of an inch clearance between the rudder stock and the bearing. MARMC, a field activity under Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), provides surface ship maintenance, management and oversight of private sector maintenance and fleet technical assistance to ships in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. (U.S. Navy Photo by Danielle Lofton/Released)  

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

05.15.2023

Story by Danielle Lofton 

Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC)

NORFOLK, Va. - Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center’s (MARMC) Dive Team successfully completed a first-time underwater rudder reinstallation on USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) May 15 at NASSCO-Norfolk, marking a first-in-class installation for the U.S. Navy.

Rudder repairs and reinstallations are typically conducted in dry-dock. However, after a planned inspection of the rudder stock bearings last September, it was found that the rudder stock sleeve needed to be replaced due to wear and tear.

“After repair by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), the rudders would traditionally be reinstalled in dry-dock,” said Lt. Charles Hodgkins, Program Evolution Manager. “However, this would take the maintenance team 10 to 12 weeks putting the availability behind schedule and causing significant conflicts with ships who were lined up to come into the dock for maintenance.”

After reaching out to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) 00C - Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), a team of engineers developed a plan to reinstall the rudders pier-side, utilizing an internal cofferdam which when pressurized, would prevent the bearings from being contaminated by seawater. This would put the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship back on schedule.

The project team continued to encounter several hurdles as they prepared for and began the rudder work. USS Ford (CVN 78) faced an emergent repair that pulled resources from the team, including the contracted dive team and barge in place to complete the reinstallation.

“Always thinking outside the box, and on very short notice, we reached out to our own dive locker [MARMC] to see if they were capable of performing this first-in-class installation,” said Hodgkins. “With a couple of additional scoping meetings, we determined that Navy Divers were capable of doing everything with the exception of the underwater welding requirements.”

MARMC’s dive team began the operation on April 19 working continuously in two person teams for the first 23-hours to line up the 46,000-pound rudder into position with only two-thousandths of an inch clearance between the rudder stock and the bearing.

“The waterborne rudder installation process on port and starboard took 20 days, 10 days per rudder; an outstanding accomplishment,” said Capt. Jay Young, MARMC Commanding Officer. “The effort by our collective team (Iwo Jima, MARMC, NASSCO, NAVSEA 00C, the Naval Systems Engineering & Logistics Directorate, Expeditionary Strike Group 2 and Commander, Naval Surface Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet) is a testament to our commitment to maintaining fleet readiness through fresh thought and can-do mentality.”

Executing the reinstallation took half the time planned, allowing the emergency dry-docking of USS Laboon (DDG 58) and planned dry-docking of USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) without impacting Iwo Jima’s availability.

“NAVSEA did an astonishing job. Their team went from effectively a back of the napkin concept, to a fully engineered design, to fabrication of custom cofferdams, to installation in less than four months,” said Hodgkins. “MARMC leveraged everything we had from contracts, naval architects and welders, but the biggest weight was quite literally carried by our Dive Locker.”

This rudder installation was a win on several fronts. The waterborne install saved roughly eight weeks of dry-dock time; avoiding the associated cost and prevented the need for a second docking. By putting Iwo Jima back in the water, the Navy saved over $20 million.

"The MARMC team engineered an innovative solution to keep us on schedule and expertly executed," said Capt. Stephen Froehlich, Iwo Jima Commanding Officer. "The crew is working hard to get Iwo Jima battle-ready and back in the fight and the professionals on the MARMC team have been with us every step of the way."

Ultimately, the repair team’s success has proven that there is flexibility when it comes to these types of repairs that don’t require dry-dock. Iwo Jima is scheduled to complete its dry-dock selected restricted availability (DSRA) later this summer.

MARMC, a field activity under Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), provides surface ship maintenance, management and oversight of private sector maintenance and fleet technical assistance to ships in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

• Date Taken: 05.15.2023
• Date Posted: 05.31.2023 14:38
• Story ID: 445873
• Location: NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US