Photo By Claudia LaMantia | (from left) La’akea Look, Ranger Lopes, Isaac Simeona-Townsend, Keanu Richardson,...... read more read more
PEARL HARBOR, Hawai’i – In a rare scene, the Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) ship Pride of America entered the waters of Pearl Harbor, on April 26, and spent less than 42 hours in Dry Dock 4 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF), for a required U.S. Coast Guard hull inspection.
The event is the result of a public-private partnership agreement between PHNSY & IMF and Pacific Shipyard International (PSI).
Over a year of preparation culminated in the calculated movement of the 80-ton vessel into DD4.
Tugboats accompanied her through the harbor and gently delivered her to the shipyard crew. Riggers from PHNSY & IMF received and guided her through an intricate system of lines and cables with the assistance of PSI personnel.
The well-orchestrated teams pulled ropes attached to the sides of the vessel. Simultaneously, other PHNSY & IMF members handled the center and the sides hauling lines, manually moving the ship through the water.
Meanwhile, at the end of the dry dock, a shipwright crew provided measurements and relayed instructions ensuring the ship stayed on course.
Peering over the pier, watching the Pride of America, the tugboats, and riggers, was Lt. Dan T. Watanabe, PHNSY & IMF docking officer. Watanabe is charged with the overall responsibility for the safety of the vessels and the execution of the docking evolutions. Regarding Pride of America, Watanabe said size matters.
“It is much bigger than the destroyers and submarines we are used to,” said Watanabe. “This one is different.”
The shipyard is used to docking U.S. Navy vessels that can measure up to approximately 600 feet in length and reach a height of 80 feet. But the Pride of America glides in at 920 feet in length and a height of 845 feet, or about 19 stories high.
There is less room to maneuver the ship but in a matter of hours, the Pride of America safely entered the dry dock. Then a caisson sealed the entrance, water was drained, and she gently rested atop the docking blocks.
Personnel from several PHNSY & IMF departments prepared the vessel for its inspection, according to Lance Broussard, PHNSY & IMF business operations branch manager.
Laborers cleaned the dock. Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment (OSHE) Department members monitored the coolant discharge rates, the dry-dock cleanliness, ensured water samples were taken and findings reported to the State of Hawai’i Department of Health.
Once the hull inspection was complete, the process of getting her underway began. In a reverse sequence of events, the dry dock pump well operators allowed water to fill the space, the caisson was removed, and riggers began the task of returning her back to sea.
Months of planning and coordination between the agencies provided a successful ship availability, according to Broussard. Through teamwork and discussions, they learned and identified all requirements needed to allow a commercial vessel via a contracting company to enter DD4.
For Watanabe, the best part is, “…that it is a unique opportunity to be able to work with the private industry and also gain experience for the whole docking team in docking a vessel that is much larger and more difficult that other vessels we are used to working with.”
“It is good that we have that capability and put it into practice,” he said.
PHNSY & IMF’s public-private partnership agreement is fiscally beneficial to the local community as the Pride of America operates solely in Hawai’i, and PSI is a locally owned and operated company.
Moreover, PHNSY & IMF is the largest industrial employer in Hawai’i. It is the most comprehensive U.S. Navy fleet repair and maintenance facility between the U.S. West Coast and the Far East and provides a capable, ready, and “Fit to Fight” fleet.
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.18.2024 14:44 |
| Story ID: | 474295 |
| Location: | PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 172 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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