Queen Mary 2

A challenging project in persistent poor weather

On 16 October the flagship of the Cunard cruise ship fleet, Queen Mary 2, docked for the first time at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam’s Botlek yard. The 345-metre vessel capable of carrying 3,864 passengers and crew is there for 21 days of maintenance and refurbishment. DSR is responsible for docking the vessel and providing support for the many specialist sub-contractors who are working on board over the three-week period.

 The scale of the work taking place is quite remarkable. 50,000 cubic metres of scaffolding are required for work on the ceiling lights and chandeliers, which in some areas are up to eighty metres above the ground. The vessel’s five swimming pools also require refurbishment, a major task that demands painstaking care even without the challenging time frame. The exterior of the ship is also undergoing a major painting programme.

 Cunard chose DSR for this project for a number of reasons. Rotterdam is just 12 hours away from the Southampton cruise terminal from which the Queen Mary 2 operates much of the time, and DSR Botlek also has one of the largest dry docks in western Europe, measuring 405 by 90 metres. There is ample space for contractors’ containers and their equipment, which is vital for this project given its scale. At its peak there are over 400 twenty-foot containers on site, 80 of which are in constant use transporting materials and waste on and off the ship. Five cranes are required to support the workforce at the height of the project and up to 3,000 people are working on the ship at any one time.

 The Queen Mary 2 entered DSR’s dry dock 7 on 16 October, but preparation for its arrival began over a year previously. Resources had to be booked and orders placed, particularly for the large amounts of scaffolding required. DSR Botlek also drew on the resources of its sister yard DSR Schiedam. The two yards have a long history of working together and pool their skills and experience when needed.

 Planning the docking began four months ahead of time as the Queen Mary 2 has an unusually deep draught at 10.5 metres, giving the docking team just a two-hour tidal window to get her in and positioned above the blocks. Arranging the blocks exactly on the dock bed was in itself a long process. DSR has a docking team that is second to none and while getting a ship with a 41-metre beam positioned exactly in a dock 90 metres across was an exceptional challenge, they achieved it with a combination of advanced technology and years of experience.

 Much of the project has been done in the face of persistently wet and windy weather from off the Atlantic. To get the exterior works done to schedule, required the construction of numerous exterior habitats to allow paint and sealants to dry, which added an extra element to the project. Shifts had to be extended to get the programme done and the workforce taken care of to ensure that everyone could work safely and efficiently.

 “In all, it represented a vast logistical challenge for the DSR project team,” said Lead Project Manager Alexander Stijlaart. “But at DSR our clients know that our ethos is that we say what we do and we do what we say. We also treat every day as a Monday, with maximum energy, doing what it takes to get the job done, and to the highest standards. We are fortunate to have a dedicated and highly experienced workforce supported by a network of first-class suppliers and partners.”

 DSR Botlek and DSR Schiedam between them have extensive experience of hosting cruise ships for maintenance and repair. Recent projects include three AIDA cruise ships; the AIDAprima, AIDAbella and AIDAperla, and the Norwegian Escape for Norwegian Cruise Line, plus the Emerald Princess and Sky Princess from Princess Cruises. Prior to those, the then Amsterdam and Rotterdam (now the MS Bolette and MS Borealis, operated by Fred. Olsen) and the Norwegian Star were docked there. During Covid, Genting Hong Kong’s 335-metre World Dream came in for 9 days. In January 2024 the Norwegian Joy will be docking for a major refit and preparations for that are already well underway.