Reconstrucción de la MN Esteban Huertas

Al día de hoy se han cambiado y renovado mas de 300 toneladas de acero en la MN Esteban Huertas. En la imagen se aprecia la caseta de la superestructura fabricada nueva bajo reglas de ABS.

FULL HOUSE FEBRUARY 2011

It was a challenge. To bring the house full, with all our customers at the same time. We have the Oil Tanker SEA HORSE TRADER, the MY TRUE NORTH, the MV ESTEBAN HUERTAS, the TUG SEA HORSE, and the Sand Dredge SAND QUEEN.

All docked and working at the same time in our Veracruz Yard Facility. Thanks to our great workers, we where able to perform all our operations without accidents and on a prompt way.

MEC SHIPYARDS -MY TRUE NORTH BLOG 2

As promissed to our followers, here are some of the pictures and story behind the undocking of the MY True North.

With an incredible new apperance, with a glass finishing on the paint, the MY True North, was finnally undocked after complete filling and faring of the hull.

It was not an easy work, as the rain season did not help on the painting of the hull, however it was a success for our shipyard, and the first time on Panama, that a 20 Million Mega Yacht was fully painted and treated with Filling and Fairing.

The paint applied was Alex Seal, which proven to be a very good paint and the application was done with lots of carefull considerations due to the weather on the tropics.

However after hundreds of man hours for filling, and later on hundred more for fairing, the damages of the paint on the Yacht where repaired, and the surface was smooth as a baby.

Then the next challenge was the rain. Some days was very humidth and other was so hot, that the paint was dryed just after getting outside of the airless.

But never the less, the work was completed, and the glass finishing of the hull was achieved.

With this very challening project, we achieve a new qualification for our yard and experience for the repair of future Mega Yachts.

11 Años Despues-ASTILLEROS MEC

En 1999, Marine Pollution Prevention & Consulting Services, empezó a brindar servicios en Panamá. En ese entonces, no estábamos muy seguros sobre el rumbo que tomaría la empresa. Sabíamos que el sector marítimo panameño, no estaba todavía explotado, y que la reversión del

Canal a Panamá, traería oportunidades para los emprendedores con ganas de hacer sacrificios y trabajar duro.

Con mucho esfuerzo, empezamos a dar servicios de Peritaje e Inspecciones Navales, Avalúos, Reportes de Averías, Inspecciones de Estado, entre otros servicios de consultoría maritima que en aquel entonces, estaban reservados para empresas con largo linaje dentro de la historia del Canal de Panama. Sin embargo a medida que inspeccionábamos mas naves locales, nos dábamos cuenta del vacío que había en la Reparación Naval, lo cual hacia contraste con las actividades de Servicios Marítimos Auxiliares del Golfo de Mexico y otros paises en donde pudimos trabajar.

Hoy, Marine Engineers Corporation (Panama) Inc. bajo diferentes líneas de servicios y marcas registradas, es sin duda un ejemplo de lo que el sacrificio, la buena administración, trabajo arduo y fe en Dios, puede lograr. Luego de 11 años, el 30° de abril del 2010, el antiguo Astillero Veracruz, paso a ser propiedad de MEC, y a operarse bajo la Marca Registrada: MEC SHIPYARDS o ASTILLEROS MEC.

La pequeña ceremonia improvisada donde se recibieron las llaves, fue un momento conmovedor entre miles de momentos amargos de dificultades y obstáculos, que se vivieron durante los 11 años que tomo esta hazaña.

Al día siguiente, lo que nadie esperaba, se hizo realidad. La primera nave entraba, a menos de 24 hrs del traspaso del título de propiedad del Astillero, en lo que sería un desfile de naves, en donde una tras otra, recibirían los servicios que tantas veces MEC realizo a flote o como sub contratista, ahora bajo su propio Astillero.

Hoy la empresa de más de 200 empleados, 40,000 m2 de área de infraestructura, 11 años de experiencia, 5 Divisiones de Negocios, su propia flota de equipos flotantes, aunque es una empresa familiar, tiene una estructura de Gobierno Corporativo, que poco a poco, se enmarca en lo que serán las próximas metas a alcanzar, las cuales ya no parecen imposibles, al haber demostrado, que los sueños, si se pueden hacer realidad.

VISITE: http://www.mecshipyards.com/

MECSHIPYARDS-PANABUNKER I

Sometimes, our customer’s needs are difficult ones, but even so, we are obliged to assist with all our resources to help.

This was the case for the Bunker Self Propelled Barge PANABUNKER I, with a Cargo Capacity of 2,450 tons, from our good customers of Boluda-Compañia Maritima de Panama.

Due to the new Double Hull Regulation, the barge was forced to finish his operation in December 2010; however the authorities were not in the position to allow the vessel a larger extension unless there was a dry dock visual inspection in place.

Our customers, request space for docking within 2 days, and having the barge cleaned, and high pressure washed for the inspection in less than 12 hrs, in order to allow the charter contract to continue just 48 hrs after the docking operation.

With a record docking time, we take the heavy barge in our yard, and in less than 6 hrs, the vessel was in position, with his expensive harbor master propellers cleared with the right high above the ramp, and the right bed supporting the barge.

What even ourselves did not believe was possible, was done with team work and high efforts. In 72 hrs, the Barge was docked, cleaned, washed, inspected, and undocked back to be in service and operation for the compliance of our customer needs.

One more time a customer was satisfied and as our slogan, we provide a COMPLETE REPAIR SOLUTION.

MECSHIPYARDS-MY TRUE NORTH- BLOG 1

It is hard to imagine something more beautiful, than a 17 million dollar luxury yacht. And when we received the request from one of our good customers to dock the beauty TRUE NORTH, we hesitate to take such an expensive and beautiful boat on our facilities. Even so, we take the challenge and receive the lady on July 27th 2010. The line of the True North, was very sharp, and the special bed, we prepared was done with extra care in order to take the "V" shape of the Aluminum Hull on a safety way.

At 0440 in the morning, we start the maneuver to take the lady. The line handlers where waiting on the cradle and the pilot bring the ship with extra care, kneeing that any mistake will cost millions of dollars. However his steel temple was one more time a valuable resource for the safety of the operation, and the ship reach its position safe and easily.

One hour later, the Winch started to tow the vessel up in the slipway ramp, and at 1000 am, the True North was resting calm and easy on the yard.

The paint crew starts to scrap the marine growth, and by late afternoon that day, the boat was clean from any barnacles on an efficient and fast way. However it did not stop there, immediately the water blasting work started, and the high pressure inspection washing commenced at both sides simultaneously.

By the second day, the paint was already visible and the works for grit blasting started. However what nobody has anticipated was a reality. The propulsion system at both propellers was highly out of alignment and special work was required, as well as the use of CUSTOM MADE Thordon Bearings.

With the highest standard, we decided to travel next day to the United States, in order to coordinate the delivery to our hands of the Bearing required, with an overnight Fedex service that as always, was just in time.

On Sunday the bearings where ready on the shop, making a new record of 3 days delivery from the factory to the shop, and complying with the customer time requirements one more time.

And the Repairs go on....to be continuing....

MEC SHIPYARDS-MV Bocas Mariner Docking Operation

It was an early thursday morning and the MV BOCAS MARINER, was underway to our Yard Slipway. Everybody was nervous, since after 4 docking and undocking operations, our team knew that everything was required to be done with accurancy.

The Pilot, guide the ship right into the cradle and altough it was looking like an easy task, the experience and skills to perform this operation where no to be easily underestimate.

After several minutes that where like hours, the vessel finnaly was sitted on the cradle, just in the right position and with the right angle.

Then the next part of the operation, commenced. The newly installed 37 ton bollard pull certified winch starts to pull the vessel out of the water.

On the previous 4 operations since the purchase of the facility, on March 15th 2010, the winch performance was always perfect.

However the configuration of the cradle and blocks, where always a delicate operation. Smoothly and with the perfection of an operation well organized, the vessel started to get out of the water.

Historicly an operation on this shipyard for vessels this size, has a duration of a minimum 36 hrs.

However even when the first vessel, just the next day after receiving the yard, take about this time, the next 3 where considerbly shorter on time, and all the team was expecting this vessel not to be the difference.

Finnaly after 9 hrs of operation, since the Pilot board the vessel, the MV BOCAS MARINER, sister ship of the MV BURICA MARINER, also repaired on the yard, was in position to start ship repair operations.

If you want to learn more about our Ship Repair Services, please go to http://www.mecshipyards.com/. If you want to book space for your vessel repair, please do not hesitate to contact us at +507-6674-7992 or send us an email to sales@mecpanama.com, with your vessel particulars and before 1 hrs, you will receive an estimation of the dry docking costs.