Refrigeration specialists Oceanic have announced scheduled compressor overhauls on a service exchange basis. Based on compressor running hours, Oceanic are offering to deliver a completely overhauled compressor in exchange for one that has exceeded working hours and requires refurbishment.

Workshop overhaul involves the complete strip down of the compressor, including cleaning and chemical dipping to remove rust and dirt, the replacement of all bearings and seals using genuine or OEM spares parts, and repainting.

David Lloyd, Oceanic Technical Solutions’ Technical Director, said: “While a lot of shipboard machinery is designed to operate with minimal maintenance, refrigeration compressors are required to have periodic overhauls based on the number of running hours, but due to the complexity of twin-screw compressors, the knowledge and skill to perform these overhauls is limited in vessel crews.

“Many of the compressors in service are older units and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find spare parts as some manufacturers no longer exist. And with new compressors costing upwards of £20,000, we are beginning to see more shipowners implement preventative maintenance measures.

“At a fraction of the cost of a new compressor, a scheduled overhaul offers serious savings for the owner, preventing cargo damage and costly downtime should a ship’s refrigeration plant fail,” said Lloyd, referring to a reefer ship that recently lost three compressors in one week.

“A reefer ship would typically have three or four compressors – they’re the heart of the refrigeration system,” said Lloyd. “The plant can cope with one compressor failing but if you lose another it’s a serious problem. Our scheduled maintenance plan and compressor exchange service can prevent these mechanical failures from happening, ultimately saving shipowners from incurring unbudgeted additional costs.”

Oceanic Technical Solutions has recently secured a long term service agreement with a major EU-based shipmanager to implement a programme of planned refrigeration maintenance across its fleet of refrigerated cargo ships.

“The quality, reliability and safety of shipboard systems is at the core of responsible ship management and a planned maintenance schedule for refrigeration plant ensures that these critical systems are safe and operating to optimum commercial and environmental efficiency,” said Robert Chesters, Managing Director, Oceanic Technical Solutions.

“We have recently invested in a new purpose built workshop and office facility near Liverpool’s River Mersey. With lifting facilities up to 2t, the new workshop has the capacity to overhaul and repair most models of reciprocating and twin-screw compressors,” he added.

The first batch of compressors under the new agreement is currently undergoing refurbishment at Oceanic’s UK facility, although the company also has workshop and servicing capabilities in Singapore & Dubai.

In October 2015, Oceanic Technical Solutions secured a long-term service contract with Mitsui O.S.K Lines MOL LNG Transport (Europe) Ltd for the annual inspection, leak testing, condition monitoring and analysis of the refrigeration plants aboard all 15 LNG carriers in the Japanese ship owner’s European managed fleet.