Dry Docking the North River

One our sludge vessels, the M/V North River, was dry docked this summer for routine maintenance. This type of regular preventative maintenance helps to ensure that our fleet of marine vessels can continue to reliably carry out their task of transporting sludge between our wastewater resource recovery facilities.

The Shipyard

Early in the summer, the 325-foot long North River arrived at the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard. One of the first challenges is to correctly align the 3,000 ton vessel in the shipyard so that it can rest on pre-positioned blocks as the water is pumped out of the 1,100-foot long by 90-foot wide by 36-foot deep graving dock.

Inspecting Below the Water Line

Once the dock is dry, the North River receives a full inspection below the water line. Crews address areas that need maintenance, which includes enclosing the area around the vessel and removing the existing paint.

When the old paint is removed, crews apply a four coat system, incorporating the use of anti-fouling paint and a top coat of traditional grey. They also inspect the external components including the tail shafts, propellers, rudders, anchors and the bow thruster to ensure they're in good working order.

Re-Floating and Sea Trials

After several weeks of completing planned repair and maintenance orders, our marine staff visit the shipyard to inspect the work. The vessel then undergoes sea trials before we accept the dry docking as complete. Later this year, another sludge vessel will be taken out of service for its regular biennial dry docking.