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Case study
BWMS retrofit in Vietnam: pipe and electrical work
SVC Marine carried out onboard BWMS retrofit work in Vietnam with pipe, heavy-equipment and electrical teams, including attendance at anchorage.
Case study
- Published
01
The onboard job
This project was a ballast water management system (BWMS/BWTS) retrofit on a vessel in Vietnam. SVC Marine worked on board with two field groups: pipe and heavy-equipment workers, and electricians. Our teams carried out the installation work within the vessel's access and operating constraints, kept the pipe and electrical sequence together and reported actual progress to the owner.
The vessel was also attended at anchorage. Moving workers, tools and material to the ship, working in confined machinery spaces and communicating with shore when the signal was weak were part of the practical job, not separate office tasks.
02
Pipework and equipment sequence
The mechanical work covered the route into the existing ballast system and the physical location of the new equipment. SVC's pipe and heavy-equipment team checked the available space, moved the equipment into position and worked through the cutting, fitting, welding and connection items on the agreed worklist as the approved arrangement and actual access allowed. Foundations and steel fitting, valves, flanges and spool pieces belonged to the installation scope.
Access to each pipe section mattered: an apparent route on a drawing could conflict with machinery, existing services or the space needed for workers and tools. SVC's team worked out each route on board with the vessel crew against these constraints. Hot work and movement of heavy components depended on the vessel's permits and safe access.
- Pipe routing and connection to the existing ballast line
- Cutting, fitting and welding within the agreed work scope
- Equipment movement, foundations and steel fitting where required
- Valve, flange and spool connections
03
Electrical work alongside the pipe team
SVC's electricians worked from the actual equipment and panel locations: cable routes and trays, cable pulling, power and control connections, termination and open installation items. We kept the electrical worklist beside the mechanical worklist because a change to an equipment position or pipe route could affect the cable run and the readiness of a later inspection.
Our scope on this job was the installation work and progress reporting. The owner, maker, surveyor and vessel manager must agree who performs and witnesses any later commissioning step.
04
Access and records at anchorage
Anchorage attendance made launch-boat access, tool and material transfer, crew availability and communications part of the working plan. Inside the vessel, limited space and ongoing ship operations constrained the sequence. SVC dealt with immediate site issues together with the crew and its working teams, recorded progress and photographs where possible, and sent the owner the actual status when a connection was available.
The useful record for this kind of job distinguishes fitted items from open items, work stopped by access or material, and steps reserved for maker or surveyor attendance. That distinction lets the next team plan the remaining window.
05
Scope for another BWMS retrofit
For a new vessel, SVC can price the onboard pipe, foundation, equipment-handling and electrical work after reviewing the approved retrofit drawings, maker's installation instructions, the vessel arrangement and the work window. Anchorage work also depends on access permission, launch-boat and material arrangements, hot-work permission and weather. SVC checks those conditions for each vessel before quoting. The broader BWMS repair and retrofit service explains how a new installation worklist is assembled.
Installation work and regulatory acceptance have different owners. The approved plan and maker requirements govern the fitting. Any installation survey, commissioning test, flag or class acceptance and certification must be arranged with the relevant authorized parties. SVC's installation record lists the checks and installation steps performed under the agreed worklist.
06
What to send the repair desk
Send the BWMS maker and model, approved retrofit and vessel drawings, pipe and electrical worklists, equipment dimensions and weights, installation location, open items, vessel berth or anchorage, agent and launch-boat arrangements, ETA/ETD and the available isolation and hot-work windows. State whether maker attendance, survey or commissioning is separately booked. SVC can then mark the work it can execute, the materials and access it needs, and any step that belongs to an authorized third party.
07
BWMS retrofit questions
Common questions when planning a BWMS retrofit worklist for another vessel.
Can SVC work on both piping and electrical installation?
Yes, subject to the approved design and agreed scope. This case involved both the pipe and heavy-equipment team and the electrical team. Send the two worklists together so equipment positions, pipe routes and cable runs can be checked in one sequence.
Can a BWMS retrofit be worked on at anchorage?
Selected installation work can be planned at anchorage after checking vessel and launch-boat access, permits, weather, material movement and the allowed working window. Anchorage permission is confirmed for each port and vessel.
Does the installation work include class approval or commissioning?
No. The owner defines maker, surveyor, flag and class participation and the commissioning plan. SVC can provide the agreed installation record and identify open work, while authorized parties perform their own survey and acceptance roles.
What is useful in a progress report from the vessel?
Record what was fitted, the location, dated photographs where available, constraints, material or access holds, and the remaining mechanical and electrical items. If communications are unavailable at anchorage, the report should say when the information was actually collected and sent.
What information should be sent for a quotation?
Send the maker and model, approved arrangement and pipe/electrical drawings, equipment size and weight, worklist, berth or anchorage, agent, ETA/ETD, permits and available isolation window. Identify any maker or surveyor attendance and which materials are already on board.
Technical guides for this work
Plan the BWMS installation worklist
Send the approved arrangement, maker details, pipe and electrical worklists, vessel location and working window to the repair team. We will identify the installation tasks, access and materials to check before quoting.