By
Rebecca Gibson |
Gibdock yard, which is based in Gibraltar, has completed a 13-day repair and refurbishment project on Saga Cruises 24,492 gt Saga Ruby.
Delivered by Swan Hunter in 1972 to Norwegian American Line as Vistafjord, Saga Ruby previously docked at Gibdock as Spirit of Adventure in 2011. Gibdock carried out an extensive refit, adapting its original plans to accommodate additional repairs and maintenance work.
This included repairs to items on the hull, a wing tank, boiler supports, bulkheads in the tailshaft tunnel and six engine room coolers, which were removed, cleaned and reinstalled. A new alternator and two new sewage treatment units were also fitted during the drydock. Despite the additional work, the 670-passenger vessel left the yard’s No. 1 dock on schedule on 25 January.
“We had to change the whole repair plan, and time constraints were a significant issue because the ship had to leave on 26 January no matter,” said John Taylor, Gibdock operations director. “One of the challenges, as is often the case with cruise ships, was getting access to the damaged areas. For example, some cabins had to be cleared, pipes removed and water supplies shut down. The process was managed safely and efficiently, minimising any delays and disruption.”
In addition to Saga, established cruise customers at Gibdock include Pullmantur, Louis Cruises and Thomson Cruises. “Cruise shipping is vitally important to Gibraltar,” said Richard Beards, Gibdock’s managing director. “Gibdock’s full service repair and maintenance facility is just a short distance from the cruise terminal, offering owners an unrivalled opportunity to undertake repairs either in drydock or alongside to the highest standards and within their pre-planned schedules, avoiding both operational deviation and redelivery delays.”