My Memoirs (in Ship-Repairs) by R.P.Rao F.I.Mar.E. (I) VZ.0037
Chapter-I
About my self:
I venture to mention here- under only some of the factual incidents in my life
Experiences without any element of a boast or an exaggeration. The names I did mention in these incidents are of persons some of whom had passed away and may their souls rest in peace, while rest of them are living and may vouch for my incidents Where-ever they were concerned “As AUTHENTIC“.
I was born on 18th July, 1933 in an orthodox Andhra Brahmin family as the 2nd son with three younger brothers and two younger sisters. My father was a senior officer in the erst while M&SM Rly. (Presently S.Rly) and retired in 1944.
We settled in a small Town ‘TUNI’ in East .Godavary Dist. Bordering Vizag Dist .where acute food rationing was prevailing.
I passed my S.S.L.C.Exam (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) of Madras state in 1947.
We then shifted to Kharagpur in West Bengal where my elder brother was working in the B.N.Rly ( Presently E.Rly) Workshops. In Jan.1948 I joined in
“Board Of Apprenticeship Training” Exam. Of West. Bengal Govt. through the Railway European School. I was the 1stIndian boy to join this school after the Independence. So I was the ‘Odd man out’.
I passed out my exam in 1949 and was selected as a ‘Charge man Apprentice’ in
B.N.Rly workshops Kharagpur.
I was sent to Black-smith shop for my apprenticeship and being hot-blooded and
immature, I protested to the recruiting officer Mr. P.Venugopal the P.A. to the
C.M.E.saying “ My being a Brahmin and educated boy I was not able to
reconcile to live as a Black-smith in my life and appealed to transfer me to some
Other shop for my training. The P.A.to C.M.E then counseled me that my
Being an educated and smart Brahmin boy- I shall have a very fast career-
Growth.So I got reconciled amnd joined the Back smith Shop.
During my first year training,I was sent to Light Forge, Spring making
section,Heavy Forge Section, and Drop{ Stamping Section..
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Chapter-II
My Apprenticeship in Visakhapatnam Port :
During my First Year Training in the B.N.Rly. Workshops in the Blacksmith shop as a Chargeman Apprentice from End 1950-to end 1951, there was an advertisement by ‘The All India Railway Service Commission ‘ for recruitment of 2-nos. ‘Apprentices Marine Engineers’ for Vizag Port then under the Management of B.N.Rly.
Having been Selected as one of the Two candidates by The All India Railway Service Commission, I joined as an ‘Apprentice Marine Engineer’ in the Vizag Port . under the same B.N.Rly Management. in April,1952
This was a 5yr. Training Course and since the Port was under the same Railway Management, I appealed to Rly.H.Q. at Calcutta for the Free Pass Facility and since I had already put in 1yr training in the Rly.. Workshops Kharagpur , that service may be considered for a remission in my present Training as Apprentice Marine Engineer. The Railways while granting me the free pass facility, did not consider the remission of my past training in this new training period. So I had to do the full 5yr. training in Vizag Port and passed out in 1957.
Shortly after I joined as Apprentice Marine Engineer, the son of the Port Administrator’s P.A.Mr.G.Parthasrathy’s son Mr. P.Ramgopal,. joined as a trade apprentice. There was one Mr.B.L.N.Rao who was also a trade apprentice in his 2nd.year training .Soon as he completed his 4th Year training ( a qualifying service,) he resigned to appear for his ’Part-A of M.O.T.Exam.’
Some- how we3 became a bit close and as a bactch we used to learn the work in a competitive spirit. In our fitting shop training we learnt to overhaul the Ash-Hoist engines and other steam engines of the dredger ‘Visakhapatnam’ we learned about Valve-Settings of steam engines which was important for its function.. This had come very handy later in my service.
During my training, the 1st Two years were spent in port workshop undergoing training in all the trades like machine shop, fitting shop, carpentry & patternmaking, Foundry section, and then was sent to the O.R.S. ( Out door Repairing Section) Section repairing the steel sections of port small crafts such as tugs and launches for six months. During this period one of the Port Tugs ‘ S.T. Grampus’ got sunk in the channel while towing a vessel in to the port.
I had been very fortunate to have the training in the manufacture of various Gigs and tackles and actively got associated in the salvage operations of the tug and then towing her into the port dry dock.
Having completed 6-months in this section, I was then shifted to the F.F.C. Section for the next six months where Machinery repairs of Port small Crafts are undertaken.
In that period I had a very unique training in totally dismantling of all the machinery of’’ S.T. Grampus’ such as Steam Triple Expansion Main Engine with all its assemblies like Piston rods, Connecting rods, Valve rods, Stephenson link motions, eccentric sheaves, main bearings, lifting of Main Engine Crank Shaft from its Bed Plate, etc, and all the auxiliaries of the salvaged Steam tug
‘ S.T. Grampus’, In the Shafting .system it was Found that the stern tube was broken and we extracted stern tube, made special gigs, welded stern tube, re-boring same after welding, casting , machining and pressing of new G.M. stern bush in to the repaired stern tube, repressing the tube into its housing, checking Main Engine Crank shaft alignment, overhauling, & re-assembling all components of Main Engine and auxiliaries and stood-by for the trails of the tug after salvage repairs.
During my 4thYear Mr - P.Sampathkumar ( Ramgopal’s brother) joined as a trade apprentice.
This was indeed a very UNIQUE training which I was very fortunate to be associated with. And this unique experience came in very handy during my later
Part of my Service. And I thank our the then Mechanical Suptd. Of Vizag port Mr. A.W .D’Lima. who took special interest in the training of Apprentices. who used to insist that all the apprentices should submit weekly reports of what we used to learn during the week for his perusal and corrections during the week-ends..
During my 4th Year of training I was sent to ‘Suction Dredger S..D.Vizagapatnam’ for training in Watch-Keeping and in repairs on her machinery during her lay-off repairs. This dredger has 3 Coal fired Scotch Boilers, 2- Steam Triple Expansion Engines one for propulsion and another for Sand pump on port side and 2, Steam Triple Expansion Engines one for Populsion and another for Sand Pump on Starboard side with Gear boxes for coupling up of Tail Shafts and Pump Shafts as well as gear boxes between the Engines for Coupling up Ford and Aft Main Engines on each side. .Thus the Two Port & The two Stbd. Engines may be used together either for pumping or for propulsion purposes as the case may be . I had a training on the repairs of Sand pumps & casings, Main Engines and Gear boxes and Steam Auxiliaries during the lay-off time of the dredger.
During this 4thYear on my Dredger training period on the Dredger one Mr. C.Subrahmanyam a Vizag boy and a D.M.E.T Passed -out candidate while awaiting his’ On-Board Placement ‘worked in my Shift on S.D.Vizag as an Un-Paid Trainee. Later he Joined The S.C.I. Vessels. And after his Chief’s Ticket I heard that He Joined M/s. Hindustan Ship Yard Ltd., Visakhapatnam.
During my last and final 5th year I had my training in the Port drawing & Designing Sections.
During my 2nd year of training , I started an ‘Apprentices’ Association’ as well as an ‘An Apprentices’ Journal’ with the ‘ Mechanical Suptd.’ as the Ex-officio- President and Ex-officio- Editor. I was elected as the ’Founder President’ and 'Founder Editor’ respectively. We brought out Quarterly issue of journals.
During my training in my 2nd Year, our Association persuaded our Mechanical Suptd. (Presently re-designated as C.M.E.) to arrange for Educational Tours to Calcutta to visit M/s. Garden Reach Work Shops and The Shalimar Works reputed in Ship Repairs other reputed Ship Repair Firms. Eventually we were sent
Only to visit Ms. Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Vizag where M.V. State of Kutch was under construction.
We further persuaded our M.S. to hold Technical Classes to coach the Apprentices
for M.O.T.Exams. Our Mech. Suptdt persuaded the Dredger Chief Engineer Mr. P.L.Rao, and the Three 2nd Engineers Mr .N .Drane, Mr. Oberoi and Mr. G.Viswanath to take up Technical Classes for us and We requested the local M.M.D.Surveyor Sri. R.C.Mohan to take up Classes for us .Our Mechanical Suptdt. Mr. D’Lima himself used to take up one class. The Technical School was thus initially started. There were at that time Two Apprentices Marine Engineer and Eleven Trade Apprentices under training. One of the Eleven Trade Apprentices was one Mr. B.L.N.Rao We further requested our M.S to Offer the option to those Trade Apprentices who wish to go to Sea ’ to opt for General Training Scheme’ which was implemented as well as a’ Technical School with full-fledged Instructors appointed’ was started.
We, the Two Apprentices Marine Engineers were recruited to be absorbed as the 3rd Engineers in the New Suction Dredger due to arrive .when we completed our training. But the new Dredger was delayed by the time I completed my training in April 1957. Hence I requested for my release in April, 1957.
I was given a grand ‘Fare-Well’ function on the eve of my leaving my Apprenticeship.
Mr. P.Ramgopal soon after he got his Part-A joined M/s. India Steam Ships Co. and his younger brother Mr. P.Sampath kumar joined M/s Great Eastern Shipping Co. after his 4 years training. We used to meet often during my Shalimar service when ever they called at Calcutta Port.
Mr. B.L.N.Rao joined M/s. Asiatic Steam Nav.Co. and Later my younger brother
Mr. R.G.Rao joined Vizag port as a Trade Apprentice and after and
after 4 years training also joined M/s. Asiatic Steam Nav. Co.
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CHAPTER_III
My Service in’ The Shalimar Works Ltd., Ship-Builders &
Ship-Repairers’, Calcutta.
During my appearing for my M.O.T.Part-I Examinations at
Marine House in Calcutta. I happened to pass-by the name board
of ‘The Shalmar Works Pvt., Ship Repairers ‘ at 4, Garden reach rod,
kidderpore, Calcutta .
All the Shipping Cos. During that period used to recruit the D.M.E.T passed out boys first and the private boys like apprentices from
Other workshops had to wait for some considerable time for their postings on vessels. So to keep myself occupied till my on-board placement, I went to ‘The Shalimar Works Ltd.,’a very reputed Ship Repair Firm of which we as apprentices had heard so much about -for a job.
The Shalimar Works was a British Company, Managed and Manned by British Officers having their Head Office at London. When I approached The Ship Repair Manager Mr. L.V.Plucknett for a job I Was asked to come Two days later and to come at 11-0 a.m.
I expressed my in-ability to come at 11-0A.M. since I had to come from Kharagpur about 75 miles from Howrah by a train and that I can come only at 1-0P.M. The General Manage Mr. J.Connel condescended to wait for me and after the interview I was taken on as a ‘Junior Technical Officer. On the next day 1st
May, 1957 I joined the firm.
I was dissuaded to join the sea service since I was already married and that even after my sea service I may have to settle ashore in some repair firm where as I may if continued in the present shore life in such a reputed Ship repair firm who do not care for sea qualifications, I may build up my career. Of course I was tempted to settle ashore. This handicap I started feeling through out my life and regretted my hasty decision. & to compensate this handicap I really struggled all my life to achieve an Excellence in my career.
They had a Depot Office at 4,Garden Reach Road, Kidderpore, adjacent to Kidderpore Dry Docks, While their Works were at No.1, Foreshore Road, Sibpore, Howrah just across the river Hooghly. They had two motor launches for plying men and material across the river to the depot office jetty and two cargo barges for collecting heavy materials from vessels to works and back to vessels.
In the Workshops across the river Mr. G.Pope as the Works Manager, Mr. Howie as Asst. Manager, and other Departmental officers all were British Officers.
The Ship Repair Manager’s Office was in the depot office from where all the ship repair activity takes place.
There were besides the Ship Repair Manager who himself attends to
Repairs, 3 more British Officers Mr.Pollock, Mr. A.Phillippe, Mr.G.Hoyle, and an other one Anglo-Indian Senior Officer Mr. P.Mannen as senior Technical Officers, an Indian senior officer Mr.C.Gope for ship repairs, besides an other Indian senior officer Mr. R.C.Mukherjee exclusively for Boiler repairs. There was one Mr.D.Banerjee an Indian junior officer and one Anglo-Burman Junior Officer Mr. J.Taya. in ship repairs division.
Mr.D.Banerjee and Mr. J.Taya normally used to assist Mr.Plucknett S.R.M. in his Ship Repair works and some times assist Mr.M.C.Gope as when required .Each Officer used to attend to a number of ships always. I was advised to assist Mr. R.C.Mukherjee in his Boiler Repair work.
I assisted in boiler works on ‘Lancashire boilers ’in various Jute, Cotton and Paper Mills in and around Calcutta like Barrackpore,
Batanagar in Budge-Budge, and on various Scotch Boilers, Bobcock-Wilcox water tube Boilers on various ships. for about 3 years.
In the ‘Lancashire Boilers usually we used to crop and renew furnace tubes in way of the fire place.
In Water tube boilers we used to renew water tubes,combustion chamber brick works and in Scotch boilers renewals of smoke tubes, stay tubes combustion chamber stays, Girder stays, jacking up collapsed corrugated Furnace tubes, renewals of Butt-strap rivets when ever their heads used to fall-off just by tapping due to ‘Caustic Embrittlement’
We used to attend to boiler repairs in M/s. ‘Smith Stanistreet’ Pharmaceutical manufacturing co. in Calcutta which was a ‘Sister Concern ‘of our firm.
I was once sent ‘Lodna Collieries’ in Asansole area coal fields which was another sister concern of our’s for attending to their boiler repairs and the repairs to their ‘Hauling Mechinery’
Mr.R.C.Mukherjee retired on super-annuation and I was made in-charge of Boiler repairs.
When Mr. Pollock migrated to U.K. a Mr. S.K.Shenoy an Ex. Chief Engineer of M/s. ‘ Asiatic Steam Nav.Co.Ltd. a sister concern of our firm of whose vessels our firm primarily used to attend to repairs
As captive workshop was taken on as a Senior Technical Officer.
We used to attend to voyage repairs, General Surveys and all types of repairs on ‘Asiatic Ships’ like a Captive Work-shop for their vessels.
When-ever there were no boiler repairs; I used to assist Mr.Shenoy also in his ship repair works.
During my assisting in ship repairs I was associated in extracting Stern Bush from Stern Tube and press-fitting a new G.M.Stern Bush with ‘Tuffenol’ lining instead of conventional ‘Lignum-vitae’ wood lining as bearing material for the tail shaft.
The process involved was by heating stern tube housing in Aft.Peak Tank while packing the Stern bush bore with ‘Dry-Ice’ for about 36 hrs. and then extracting the existing bush by special puller gig and for pressing-in the new Stern Bush the same procedure was followed.
Besides ‘Asiatic Ships’ we used to attend on ‘Brokle-Bank Line’Vessels’, ‘Clan Line’ Vessels, ‘Bank Line’ Vessels,’Hogue Line’ vessels, ‘Jardine-Henderson’Line vessels, and other Foreign Line Vessels.
Mr. M.C.Gope normally used to get occupied by the ‘Brokle-Bank’ Vessels calling in regularly as a Liner company.
Mr.A.Phillippe, Mr.G.Hoyle migrated to U.K.and Mr.P.Mannen and Mr.J.Taya migrated to Australia.
Now only Mr. S.K.Shenoy and Mr. M.C.Gope remained as Senior Technical Officers for Ship repairs. I was now promoted as a senior technical officer attending to various ship repairs including boiler repairs independently.
I was advised to learn car driving and learnt my driving on a ‘Morris-Minor‘car.
During this period, one day when I reached home at about 7-0 p.m , I found that my 5 yrs. old son who was suffering from Bronchial Asthma was gasping for breath and his lips and face turned ‘Blue’ and that the house was in a state of frenzy. I had a ‘Sudden Flash ‘in my brain that
‘ Lips-Blue -Lack Of Oxygen’ I immediately started blowing air from my mouth to my son’s mouth giving him an ‘Artificial Respiration’ and rushed him to a Hospital near by. The Doctor on duty mentioned to his other doctors that though I was a layman I could save my son in time by my presence of mind.. This flash I got was just by Providence and by ‘HIS GRACE’ only.
After getting my driving license in 1965, I was allotted a ‘Standard-10’ sedan car with all expenses like fuel, repairs, garage at home were taken care of by the company and I was to self-drive the car so that I could move about.
I used to attend to a number of vessels at a time spreading out from Calcutta Jetties, River Moorings, Kidderpore Docks, King George Docks, Oil Terminal at Budge-Budge, besides various boiler repairs in the Jute and Cotton Mills in the vicinity of Calcutta.
Mr. S.K.Shenoy retired on health grounds. I was now allotted a ‘Fiat-Millicento’ car that wa being ued by him..
Mr.Plucknett had migrated to ’New-Zealand’. Mr. J.E.D’Souza an Ex-Chief Engineer of M/s. ‘India Steam Nav.Co.’ and presently the Ship Repair Manager of M/s. Hooghly Docking Co. an other major Ship Repair and Ship Building co. in Calcutta joined us as the new Ship Repair Manager.
In view of our depleted complement of repair staff, we recruited 3 Junior officers Mr. B.L.N.Rao, Mr. R.G.Rao both Ex-Asiatic Steam Nav.Co. engineers ,and one Mr. D.Bearder to assist us. Mr. B.L.N.Rao and Mr. Bearder usually used to help me on my various vessels, while Mr. R.G.Rao used to assist Mr. M.C.Gope.
Our general Manager Mr. J.Connel retired and repatriated to U.K. and after a successive other British Officers as General Managers, a Mr. W.S.Brown an Ex. Works Manager of ‘Hawthorn-Lesle’ a Major Ship Building Firm in United Kingdom joined us as General Manager.
During the 1st year after my promotion as a senior officer, I did about six dry-docking and re-wooding jobs mostly on old ‘Liberty Class’ vessels belonging to M/s. Jayanti Shipping which were engaged in transshipment of grain From a Mother Ship anchored at ‘Sand-Heads’ and plying up and down the river ‘Hooghly causing additional wear on shaft’s wooding.
I worked on ‘S.S.Govind Jatanti lifting the Main Engine Crankshaft for re metalling the main bearings. The vessel has a Steam Triple Expansion Main Engine and I had to dismantle all the components of the engine to get access to lifting of crank shaft .
I did the re-boring of Steam Triple Expansion Main Engine Intermediate Pressure Cylinder on S.S.’Arya Jayant’ .an-other ‘Liberty Class vessel..
On S.S.’Garg Jayanti’ an other ‘Liberty Vessel’ while attending to her voyage repairs I met ‘Mr K.R.A . Narasaya’ as a 3rd Engineer putting in his time for Steam endorsement.’ He later joined Vizag port as a Marine Engineer and subsequently became a Chief Mechanical Engineer of Visakhapatnam Port.
I installed new Life boat Davits on the port and starboard sides of boat deck on M.V.’Ashoke Jayanti’ a’Court line ‘class vessel to the satisfaction of the M.M.D Surveyor. Necessary removal of paneling inside cabins underneath the boat deck as well as additional stiffening of boat deck was done for the job.
A Bank Line Vessel M.V.’Levern Bank’ while passing through K.P.Locks into K.P.Dock had a Contact Damage in Bottom Plating in Way of her No.2 D,B,Ballast Tank of her Starboard side and having Emergency tying up at K.P.Dry -dock ‘Deadman’ we were calld in attend. I went to Vessel, and engaging Port Divers, assessed the damage that the ‘B’ strake plating of No.2 D.B.Ballast Tank had pierced-in an ‘Extended Isosceles Triangular’ shape, got the approximate measurements of the tear, got a Wooden Board of 2 inch Thick by 5 feet length by 4 feet wide, got a 5 inch thick Coir Mattress n the wooden board and with a half-a-dozen ‘J’ bolts got this board fitted to the torn section of bottom plating. With continuous de-ballasting of the tank, we could get an access to the damaged section of the tank.We then seal welded the lightening holes in the longitudinal frames and the Transverse Inter-Coastals of the effected section of the tank and fitted and welded two 3 inch pipe sockets and plugged the damaged section of the bay in the tank. Thus we managed to arrest ‘Seawater Ingress’ in to the tank.
After the job was cleared by L.R.Surveyor, Vessel went for her Loading Program.
The Shalimar Works Ltd., has a system of’ ‘One Officer Per Vessel’
And he can take the senior workmen and supervisors of the required trades to assist him in getting the jobs un like other ship repairers who depute various officers of trade on each vessel. Ship owners found that allotting vessels to us was more convenient to them since co-ordination of schedules with ‘One man contact’ was easier for them. In the process we become versatile in all disciplines of trade
.
The Shalimar Works Ltd., built one Motor Tug ‘M.T.Subhadra and Two Deck-Loading Dumb Barges for Visakhapatnam Port and when these were taken delivery of I met Mr. A.W.D’Lima and Mr. K.R.A.Narasayya in our Workshop.
The Shalimar Works Ltd., has 21 Fitters versatile in various jobs, 22 Khalasis, 3 certified Elec. .Arc Welders, 3 Gas welder- cum-brazers.2 Eectricians on our permanent rolls. To augment our requirement of tradesmen, we used to have various contractors to supply the required tradesmen and we had two permanent Plating contractors to do all our steel plating jobs.
Our depot office at 4, Garden reach road is manned for 24 hrs. a day to receive and dispatch materials from vesels to workshop across the river or vice-versa either by our launches or by road by lorries via Howrah Bridge and one lorry and a few khalasis stand-by for handling the meterials .
A Mineral Exporter from GAO Port purchased two self-propelled cargo barges in Calcutta Port and asked our firm to make them ‘Sea-Worthy’
For Towage to GAO Port by doing necessary Sea-Connections etc. blanking and other necessary modifications as per M.M.D.Guide lines.
I attended on the job and completed the job before their scheduled date. The Owner of the boats in appreciation offered me a hefty packet .But I politely refused saying that I was looked after very well by our company and that my reward for my hard work was the satisfaction reflected on his face.
I never even imagined that he would mention this incident to our General Manager Mr. W.S.Brown in the club in that evening.
Next morning I was summoned by our General Manager Mr.W.S.Brown who complemented me for my ‘Non-Susceptibility to temptation’ and awarded me with a hefty ‘Mid-Term’ increment and also promoted me as ‘Assistant Ship Repair Manager’ besides sanctioning me mid-term increments every year since then.
These two barges while being towed to GAO Port by a Vessel, got sunk in the Bay Of Bengal in a Cyclonic weather. On hearing this news the Owner of the barges specially flew from GAO to reassure me that the mishap was not due to my workmanship but only due to bad weather conditions. IT WAS REALLY VERY NICE OF HIM.
A Transhipper Vessel for Loading Iron Ore in GAO port S.S.’Sanjeevani’ came to us for Re-metaling of her Main Electric Propulsion Motor Main Bearing and I had the job done. I came in to inter-action with Mr. ‘Sheshadri’ the Tech.Suptdt og M/s. ‘Salgoankars’ of Gao.Port. during this time.
We were now being called by M/s. India Steam Nav.Co. for repairs
On their vessels.
‘Viswa Karma Puja Day’ is a very Big Occasion day in West Bengal whe all the ‘Craftsmen do Puja’ to the tools and celebrate the day.
Similarly All Industries declare a holiday and that and permit their workmen celebrate Puja in their premises.
As per this custom the Shalimar Works also observes this day by declaring it as a ‘Festive Day’ and organizes a Very Party gathering to
All their Customers, Ships’ Captain and their complements under their repairs, Ships’Agents, and other V.I.Ps. with ‘Cock-tail Party’
This is a very eventful day where-in new business promotion activities take place .So I also used to invite the Vessels’ Complement under my repair.
S.S. ‘ Indian Pioneer’ was having a history of having her coupling bolts of Tail Shaft/Last Intermediate Shaft Coupling’ frequently snapping off and it was since the vessel last dry-docked in London Docks. She was again docked in Bombay dry-docks but the same thing happened by the time vessel reached Calcutta Port.
I was called in for the repairs. On investigation by with-drawl of tail shaft we noticed that the earlier re-wooding was done erroneously by not providing sufficient clearance in the re-wooding for the whipping of the shaft while in motion. After discussing this fact with Mr. C. Tye The Engr. Suptdt. of the Company we rectified the cause and the problem was eliminated.
On S.S.‘Indian Trader’ the Propeller blades were badly bent in a damage and I had to Change the Propeller with their spare one in the dry-dock after carrying out bedding of propeller on shaft taper. We heated and faired all four propeller blades as per classification
guide lines.
M.V’.Indian Industry’ had a collision damage in way of’ Soft Nose’, Forepeak tank and extending below water level.
After discharging the cargo the vessel was dry-docked in Kiddrerpore dry-dock .We cropped and renewed the Soft Nose Plating, Breast Hooks in Fore peak Tank ,Port and Stbd. Side plating from Bow plating to Sherstrakes, ‘A’ & “B” strakes.in the Forepeak tank extending up to No.1 Hold Tween deck and lower hold., Part of the Collision Bulkhead plating along with its boundary angle on the port side.
The vessel was having welded construction of plating with Frames Riveted to plating. During Pressure testing of Forepeak Tank we found that the water was leaking in to No.1 Hold. S We gouged out shell plating in the face of Boundary angle and re-welded same sealing the leaks. Job was cleared by Classification Surveyor.
We were being called by M/s. Scindia Steam Nav. Co. for repairs on their vessels.
On S.S. Jala Kala’ I made a gauge for the spare tail shaft taper section to be sent to U.K.by Owners for the manufacture of a spare new propeller a suitable taper for the tail shaft taper.
On a Saturday which was a half day working day at about Noon time Capt.Sharma the Marine Suptdt. Of M/s. Scindia Steam Nav.Co.
in formed us that M.V..’Jala Kala’ has already dry-docked in Kidderpore Dry-dock and that a docking survey was arranged for 8-0A.M. on next day a Sunday.
When I visited the vessel, the vessel was already on Dry-dock blocks,
And the dock was mostly de-watered.
Kidderpore dry-docks being the oldest dry docks, the gap between the dock walls and the ship’s side plating was too narrow and as was the practice with docking people they tied up all the wooden trestles used for stags on dock floor at the forward end of the dry-dock to avoid their fouling with the docking movements.
We had either to re-float the vessel to pull back the trestles to aft end of dock and settle her on the blocks OR use the Ship’s port and starboard side derricks for lifting the trestles from dock floor at forward. end of dock and to place them on dock ground level and then using other derricks transfer them on the ground level upto after end of the vessel and then lower them to dock floor to erect the stages at the propeller and rudder vicinity for checking clearances for survey.
We opted for this option and all the Saturday night we wee busy doing this there-by we were not ready for the survey.
Capt.Sharma was furious and was only pacified when the Chief Officer confirmed our efforts. Capt.Sharma then vowed that in future sufficient notice about the docking of their vessels will be given to us.
Same ‘M.V.Jala Kala’ had a contact Damage on her Stbd.Side Shell plating in way of her Tonnage Hatch/No.5 Tween deck and extending to Lowe Hold with its Common Bulk head between Tonnage Hatch and the Hold. We were to renew Damaged shell plate, part of damaged common bulhead but were advised to fair the boundary angle and refit. After the job was done, during the Pressure hose testing from Tonnage Hatch we found that the water was leaking through the boundary angle/shell plating in to No.5 Hold.. We gouged out the shell plating on the ship’s side in way of the boundary angle face and seal welded same there by arresting the leak
I particularly thank Mr. Ramchandani the Lloyds’ Surveyor attending
the vessel for the many useful tips in Ship repairing which helped me greatly in my career.
On an other of their vessels M. V.’ Jala Azad’ moored off 24 K.P.Docks, there was a heavy dent on her 1st Below shear plating in way of No.2 Tween-deck/No.3 Tween-deck extending in to their lower holds with their connecting beams,beam-knee-brackets, and the common Bulkhead between theTween-decks and lower holds.When I asked for SIX DAYS time Capt.Sharma insisted for only FOUR days time. I refused to accept the job. I was then reported to our Ship Repair Manager Mr. J.E.D’ouza and after a Compromise I agreed to do the job in FIVE DAYS time.
On Day-1 we carted all the tools and tackle to vessel, erected ship’s side stages, and cropped the damaged section of shell plating, damaged beams, bulkhead plating etc material and sent works by early Day-2.
The Vessel was shifted from her existing mooring to another mooring at ‘Off 21 K.P.Berth’ So we had to dismantle all the shipside stages, and re-erect later on Day-3.
We received the new material on the late Day 3. The Vessel was agai shjifted frm ‘Off 21 K.P.Berth to another mooring at ‘Off 19 K.P.Berth. we again dismantled shipside stages for shifting of vessel and re-erected on early Day-4 and placed all the material on board.
During the Day-4 all the new material was erected in postion and called for ‘Weld Preparation’ Survey by Classification and Owners as per their
Requirement. By Mid-night of Day-4 which was a ‘Christmas Eve Day’
On Day-5 We again called for inspection of ‘Back-gouging preparation’ by ‘Mid-Night’ of Day-5 the “CHRISTMAS DAY’ and final water-hose testing on Day -6 early at 06-00 Am a ‘Boxing Day’.
Capt.Sharma then vowed to grant me my Time-Schedules for repairs on their vessels.
On another Scindia Vessel at 22 K.P .Dock Buoys we collected a Multi-stage Centrifugal Boiler Feed Pump for repairs, ad after repairs, during re-shipping by a dinghy, the dinghy boat swerved badly and the pump fell in to the dock water. I engaged port Divers, retrieved the pump and Re-Overhauled before reshipment of the pump.
I Had done some Pre-Delivery Dry-Docking Jobs for a couple of vessels of M/s.Scindia Steam Nav.Co.Ltd., Built by M/s Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., Vizag, for M/s. Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., During the course of these repairs I happened to Mr. C.Subramanyam who did the Un-Paid Trainee Course on S.D.Vizag while I was an Apprentice on that vessel. was on the vessel signed as a Chief .Engineer .of the Vessel.
A Greek Tramp Tanker Vessel M.V’.Roula E.K’ .calld us for renewal of a broken ‘C.I Diaphragm’ plating dividing the Main Engine Crank Case and Cylinder unit. We gave a quotation and renewed the plate. But when fitted in place It Would not Fit. We then cast an other one but it also would not fit. We then called for the old broken plate which was tack-welded and used as a pattern and that also would not fit in place.
We then suspected that there may be a bend in the Piston Rod.
A.B. Classification surveyor Mr. A.Rizvi indicated that we dismantle the unit and check. The Main Engine was a ‘B&W Four Stroke Engine’ and the piston had to be withdrawn through the Crank-case.
After dismantling we did find that the piston rod had a ‘Bow Shaped’ bend of nearly 10 mm. bend. We then suspected a Water-Hammering in the Combustion Chamber and on investigation we found that Cylinder liner had a Million Hair Line Cracks on its surface.
We then surmised that this could have happened due Fuel Contamination with Water and suggested for Dry-Docking of Vessel.
During the docking survey we found that the Port and Stbd, ‘A ‘ & ‘B’ strakes in way of Fuel oil Tank had cracks there-by sea water ingress had taken place.
We renewed the bottom plating, completed all the other jobs pertaining to Dry dock and the vessel was moored in a lay-off
mooring .
‘M.T. Roula E.K.’ Tanker vessel has all her Auxilliaries Steam driven and had 2 Scotch Boilers oil fired. There was a Shaft Driven Generator which can be coupled by belt drive to meet the Ship’s Electric Power supply during the Voyage. This was a Unique arrangement I had seen for the First and the Last Time in my Service. The vessel also had an Exhaust Gas Boiler in the Up-take to generate steam from Main Engine Exhaust for running her auxiliaries during the voyage ther by Boiler plant can shutdown..
It was a rainy season and on one day as my car had some repairs and was laid-off, I was Driving an Ambassador car as a stop gap .and visited the Tanker vessel at the Lay-off mooring. While I was on board, there was a very heavy ‘down pour ‘of rain. When after the rain I came down to my car, I found to my Horror that all the four tires of the car got sunk in the mud since the area was not a hardened jetty.
8 of my Khalasis from the vessel came down and’ BODILY LIFTED THE AMBASSADOR CAR’ and placed on a hard ground. Near by. “A FEAT INDEED.”
During the repairs on this tanker vessel ‘M.T.Roula E.K’ I met Mr. R.L.Jain as the Suptdt.Engr.of the vessel and had a god rapport. Now Mr.R.L.Jain is the Present Representative for ‘Sulzer Engines in India.
The total job commenced with a small renewal of Engine Diaphragm plate of the Main Engine quoted for a mere Rs. 11,000-00 eventually costed more than Rs.12 lakhs of repairs..We even sent one of our junior officers to sail upto Paradip port as a Standby Engineer. on this Tanker Vessel.
One Italian Vessel was berthed at King Goerge Dock No.1 Berth .
She had her No> Crank Pin got badly Scored and the no.!.bottom end bearing was run out.We were called for assistance on a Christmas Eve.
I went on-board,dismantled bearing,sent same for remetalling.I got One wooden bottom end bearing IN two halfves with the bore fitted with Emery Cloth nailed with Copper Tacks and polished crank pin to remove all: scores and for trueness Since we did not have An Isitu Grinding Machine.we took Five days time for completion of work.
M/s. Raj Lines had two small Coastal Vessels Plying between Calcutta Port and Andaman Islands bringing in Timber logs from Andaman Islands.
One of the two vessels “Sadeeka’ had a Bow Damage involving her Forepeak tank, Foc’stle deck Anchor Hawse Pipes, and part of No.1 Hold. I attended the repairs and with help of Lines Drawings, Prefabricated the Foc’stle deck, re-laid the Anchor Hawse Pipes, and the repairs in way of No.1 Hold.
Their other vessel ‘ Saleema’ had a contact damage in the river Hooghly while steaming into port, damaging her Stern area causing her Rudder Stock and Rudder Twist.. She was berthed at No.1 K.G.Docks During her discharging after unloading her No.1 Hold, the vessel was Trimmed by her Forward end till the Rudder Palm was Above water line. We then disconnected the palm bolts, and by hiring a port Floating crane, disconnected the Rudder and lowered stock & Rudder in to our cargo boat and transshipped to our works across the river.
In the workshop we found that Tiller Keyway was twisted off Line by 35* degrees. We then Stress relieved the shaft in that area by Char-Coal heating and covering the area by lime, and later re-cut a fresh keyway for the Tiller in the stock in line with the Rudder palm bolts’ center line. We re-shipped the Material, erected stock & Rudder and cleared the survey.
We attended the repairs on vessels of M/s. Great Eastern Shipping Line
M.V.’Jag Kranti’ M.V. ‘Laadki’
M.V.’Jag Laadki’ had a repeated running down of her One Particular Cross-Head Pin Bearing of No.2 Unit. On inspection I found that one pin was badly scored and needed machining. I got the Cross-Head Unit mounted on a Machine ‘ON DOUBLE CENTERS’ and noticed that both the pins were machined on deferent Centerlines causing one bearing running out repeatedly. We then machined both the pins on the same Center line and rectified the defect.
Once one ‘Jag Line Vessel’ had a contact damage and her Propeller blades all four of them were bent. While she was discharging her cargo in K.G.Docks, we rigged up hanging stages in way propeller, and heated and faired all the four blades in way of tips as per the Classification Recommendations.
We attended to repairs on vessels of ‘Ratnakar Shipping Lines. M.V’.Ratna Usha’, and M.V’.Ratna Manjushree’
Once M.V’.Ratna Manjushree’ Had to be done an Emergency Dry-docking to clear her Docking Survey and her Scotch Boiler Survey before her new Charter assignment and she was dry docked in K.G.Dry-dock-no.1 on a December 29 evening. while she should report for her new charter before the Mid-night of 31stDecember.
I was assigned for the job. As soon as the vessel was on the blocks, with the clearance obtained from the Captain of the vessel, we started opening the Sea valves numbering to 36 in nos., ond started opening 16 nos. Boiler mounting valves of the warm Port Scotch boiler ,and overhauling them The dock was dry by 12-30 A.M. of 30th
Dec. We then erected stages, cut rope guard around Propeller, taken shaft clearances, Rudder Pintle clearances, re welded rope guard back, Laid out anchor cables on the dock floor, taken anchor chain calibrations, in the dry dock while the Boiler was inspected, noticing that 220 nos. Smoke tubes salt deposited due to leaking tubes, Renewed all the 220 smoke tubes in the warm Scotch boiler & presented boiler to Hydraulic pressure test, While we gave clearance for flooding the dock at 6-0 A.M. on 30thDec. , we continued with the pressure testing of the boiler and got off the vessel just before the vessel was being hauled out of the dock.. We took ONLY SIX HOURS OF DOCK BEING DRY.
Time. THE fastest Dry-docking job ‘ Ever done by me’. Mr.H.Taneja the attending Lloyds Surveyor and Mr.P.Arora the Engg .Suptdt of
M/s Ratnakar Shipping Co. stayed on board all night for the inspections of the jobs The vessel could report to her new Charter Assignment in time.
Normally we used to take 36 hrs. dry dock dry time for a routine job of taking clearances and anchor chain calibrations recording known as “ Hair-Cut and Shave” in repair parlance, 3 days time for Bottom Half Re-wooding and 5 days time for Full re-wooding of Shaft stern bush..
Once during my busy schedules of work My Fiat car Battery was run out and I requested for a new battery. But the Management could not provide it due to their other priorities. So I had engaged two Khalasis taking them in my car for ‘Push-Starting’ the car.
The wage bill for these two men including their overtime wage, who were daily-rated but weekly paid , had amounted to THREE TIMES the cost of a new Battery. So promptly I was provided with a new Car Battery.
During the survey repairs of M.V.Ratna Manjushree at another time our Quotation was erroneously quoted very low while the other repair firms M/s Hooghly Docking and M/s. Garden Reach Works quoted 120% more than our quotation. We got the job and I was asked to take up the job.
I did a number of Additional Jobs in the process of doing the quoted items and claimed our bills which became much more than the quotations of the other two firms.
Since then ‘READING THE QUOTATION IN BETWEEN THE LINES’ had become my 2nd .Nature.
We started attending to repairs on the S.C.I Vessels. M.V.Nicabar a Coastal Vessel plying between Calcutta Port and Port Blair in Andaman Islands was Allotted to us and this vessel calls at Calcutta Port regularly Once a Month.
Besides this vessel we did a number of their vessels repairs. M.V.’State of Tamil Nadu’ was purchased from some Italian Co. and we did the conversion of Cabins on this vessel to suit the requirements of Indian Complement as per M.M.D.Regulations.
M.T.’Desh Bandhu’ an S.C.I.Tanker vessel had a grounding damage in the River and we obtained the damage repairs against keen competition against M/s.Garden Reach Works and M/s. Hooghly Docking.
The damage was in way of her Bottom Plating in her Center cargo tank and One cargo Tank Forward and One cargo Tank aft. Of the Center Cargo Tank besides their adjacent side Wing Cargo Tanks. The Center Keelson, in the center tanks, and the Longitudinal Girders and the Transverse Girders in all the damaged side tanks as well as the C.I. cargo pipes passing through these tanks were damaged. The Corrugated Bulkheads up to 20-0 feet from the bottom plating were bukled. The Enquiry was to renew about 45 Tonnes of steel and the cargo pipes, Our Time Factor for the job was 30 days for completion.
The vessel was docked in No.1 King George Dry-dock.
After removing the bottom plating in all the tanks without disturbing the Keelson ,and all other girders, I arranged for Wooden Supports of
24 in.dia at smaller end and having 36 to 40 in. dia at bigger end of Tree Trunks having a height of 40’-0 length and supported the bulkheads above the damaged areas. I called our Chief Executive Mr. W.S.Brown who was an Ex-Works Manager of M/s ‘Hawthorn-Leslie’ a reputed Shipbuilding firm in U.K. to inspect the supporting arrangement of the structure before disturbing the keelson and other girders.
Mr. Brown on seeing the arrangement assured me that the supports were adequate even to support S.S..’Queen Mary’’. and to ahead.
One day after loading the damaged steel plates and other members in our lorry to a height of 13’-0 ( height should not exceed 14’-0 as per traffic rules,) we dispatched the lorry from ship in K.G.Drydock to our depot office. Lorries should ply on the Howrah Bridge after Midnight only as per Traffic Rules.
As a rule we always go to our depot office before calling it day and as per that practice we reached our depot office at about 10-0 pm and we were told that loaded lorry cannot ply to works in the night since her head lights failed. It means we loose a day to transport material to works and all the manpower booked at workshop for the night will go waste.
We then decided to call another lorry driver and a helper on an emergency basis and advised our dispatch clerk to send the loaded lorry to’ Tow’ the loaded lorry across n the bridge the same night.
.
I completed the repairs of renewal of Not Only 45 Tonnes of steel but a total of 85 Tonnes steel including additional steel involved with the 30days time limit. But the attending L.R.S.Surveyor Mr. Ajit Chopra gave a surprise saying he wanted an X-ray test of welds in the keel plate which was of a special steel. We used ‘Low-Hydrogen Electrodes’ for welding the keel plate to adjacent plating. There were some snags in the weldls in the welds of keel plate with the adjacent plating which required gouging out and re weld . This additional works required an extra 6 days time to a total of FIVE WEEKS to complete.
My job in Thev Shalimar Works Ltd., was to prepare Qoutations for Ship Repair jobs as per Vessel’s job list, Execution of jobs, prepare the Bills and finally help our Management in negotiating and realizing the Bills.
The Shalimar Works Ltd., Management made us feel all the time that they were with us and for us the Executives and made us feel that we were Indispensable for Company. In return, we always gave a Dedicated Service to the company.
The Management of The Turner Morrison group of companies of which The Shalimar Works was a part had changed the hands and we started to have a lean period in our business.
We continued to have a lean period for some time and we suggested to our Management to Reduce our ‘Over-heads’ and send Quotations. We suddenly found ourselves flooded with jobs. So made clear rthat our prices will be as per our quotation for the quoted jobs but we will charge for the additional works at our ‘Economic Prices’. Customers agreed for same and we were very busy once again..
The Shalimar Works had an Adage saying ‘ IMPOSSIBLES ARE DONE INSTANTLY AND MIRACLES TAKE A LITTLE LONGER’as their MOTTO. We all strived for that Motto.
There was an Advertisement for some Ship Repair Forman Posts required for Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., Visakhapatnam.
In view of the uncertain conditions in The Shalimar Works Ltd.,caused by the change of Management, I applied for one of the posts..
I was called for an interview where Mr. C.M.Rao the Manager Ship Repair Division of H.S.L. as a board member asked me that the division was just started and that there were no specialized tradesmen for various tradesmen and whether I can train the people to the required trades and when I said ‘Yes, I can train them. But, I was offered a very low starting salary to my disappointment..
I made a protracted correspondence for almost 6-months and after getting an assurance of 9-Avanced increments in my starting salary there- by protecting my existing Net Emoluments, I agreed to join H.S.L.
H.S.L .imposed a clause that ‘ the offer stands subject to my getting cleared by a Medical Exam. By H.S.L.Doctor’. So I promptly got myself examined by the Presidency General Surgeon of West Bengal Govt. and submitted same for approval by H.S.L.
On Receipt of H.S.L.’s approval, I submitted my resignation to our management,’ The Shalimar works Management’ . With a great reluctance they accepted my resignation but wanted ONE CALENDER MONTH NOTICE AND OFFERED ME “ A SIX MONTHS LEAN PERIOD “AND ‘ THAT I MAY JOIN BACK WITH IN THESE SIX MONTHS’ . By this rider my joining H.S.L was delayed by one more month.. Eventually I left The Shalimar WorksLtd. On 31st
Jan 1973 after putting in SIX TEEN YEARS of service.
The Shalimar Works Management after paying my Gratuity’ asked to collect my P.F.Dues from West Bengal Regional Provident Fund Commissioner’s Office, Cacutta.
I joined Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. Visakhapatnam On 3rd Feb, 1973.
Soon after my resignation Mr. B.L.N.Rao resigned and joined ‘Brooke-Bond Co.Ltd,- ‘ Bru’ Instant Coffee Powder Manufacturing Co.’, Hyderabad Unit and R.G.Rao joined M/s. Hooghly Docking & Engineering Works., Howrah..
Chapter IV.
My Service In M/s. Hindustan Ship Yard Ltd.,
( A Public Sector Undertaking Under Ministry Of Shipping,
Government Of India)
Visakhapatnam.
I contacted Mr.C.M.Rao Manager, Ship Repair Division, H.S.L. on phone and informed of my arrival and my place of stay at Rly.Newcolony. I was advised that there will be a Shipyard bus on that rout and that I should get in to it at 8-0 A.M.next day.
At 8-0 A.M.on the next day the 3rd Feb,1973 II found a Mini Bus with Shipyard name , stopped the bus and entered in to it bidding ‘Good Morning Gentlemen’ Al the in mates of the bus were looking spell bound at me as though I was an intruder. I found a seat in the bus and muttered aloud saying that ‘Apparently No Gentle men in this bus’
Then there was a Chorus of voices saying ‘Good Mornig’
I then introduced myself as the new addition of the family of H.S.L.Officer. This bus belongs to the Dry-Department ( Cnstruction Wing) of H.S.L.and our Dry dock office was the next door.
After reporting my self to Mr.C.M.Rao the Manager, Ship Repairs in his chamber, while nearing CMr.C.M.Rao’s office door I happened to suddenly meet Capt. Sharma of M/s. Scindia Steam Nav. Co tepping intothe office, who was shocked to see me there and and exclaimed ‘Rao you here?’ When I told him that I just joined H.S.L. he commented that’ had I ditched Joe D’Souza?’ When I explained that only Mr. D’Souza released me Capt.Sharma exclaimed ‘God Save Shalimar’ and congratulated Mr.C.M.Rao for taking me on.
I was then introduced to Mr. N.Venkataramayya the Asst.Manager Ship repairs, and other departmental officers of Steel section, carpentry, Docking and un docking department officer etc.
I was then introduced to a Mr. P.S.B.Patnaik, Ex. M/s. Alcock-Ashdown Co. Shiprepairers, Bombay and another sister concern of The Shalima Works Ltd., Calcutta as Foreman steel section, Mr. J.S.Negi a foreman Plumbing section, Mr. Y.Apparao Docking operations foreman, Mr. G.N.B.Acharyulu foreman electric section, Mr. s.Basu, Estimator, Mr. T.Ramnarayana Asst.Estimator in Ship repairs estimates section.
During introductory rounds of the dry-dock work-shop, I was accosted by the dock master Mr. Y.Appa Rao as ‘ What was so great about you that you demanded 9 advanced increments for joining here?’
I never realized that I could whip up such personal jealousies
And animosities even before ever my joining the Co, I had to state humbly that ‘I was only chosen as such.’
I had had an association with the environment of dealing with the British and Other Foreign Officers who insisted that I should address them only by their first names irrespective of their ranks of office. But I desisted my addressing them by’Sir’. So this had become a habit of mine since I used to address even our Chief Executive of The Shalimar Works as Mr. Brown only and never as ‘Sir’.
I never imagined that by addressing a person by ‘Mr. ‘ could be considered as an affront
But in shipyard when I started addressing Mr. C. M.Rao I was quietly suggested that Mr.C.M.Rao does not like the way of addressing and that I should address him as ‘SIR’. But this had already soured up his personal chemistry towards me and he never forgave me for that.
I may state my personal feelings here. By calling the colleagues
By either by their first name or by affixing a ‘Mr’ we build up a type of comradeliness and a belongingness. But by ‘Siring’ you introduce a formal environment between the persons and an aloofness..
Anyway that was the culture in the Govt. sector.
The set up was as below.
1. There were two Engineering Foreman an I was one of them.
My self and Mr. D.Satyanarayan nicknamed as’Poland Satyam’ since he was sent there for 3 months.
2. There were two Foremen for Steel section. Mr. P.S.B.Patnaik
(Ex.Alcock & Ashdown Ship Repairers Ltd., ,Bombay an other sister concern of The Shalimar Works Ltd., Calcutta). And Mr. Ch. Krishna Murty.
3. There were two Electrical Foremen Mr. D.Chandrasekher and Mr. G.N.B.Acharyulu.
4. There was one Dock-Master Mr. Y.Apparao who accosted me earlier in the workshop. Later one Mr. Dorairaj also joined as Asst.Dockmaster.
5. There was Mr. Jit Singh Negi , Foreman ,Plumbing section.
6. Besides the above there wereTwo Marine Engineers Mr..P.K.Sanyal and Mr. G.V.Nori who were directly incharge of all the ship repairs with whom all the foremen were expected to work with.
To assist the Foremen there were Four Supervisors Mr. S,J.Williams, Mr. S.V.S.Raju, Mr. M.Satyanarayana and Mr. Appala Raju to directly handle the workforce. More or less it was a vertical combination of work system..
I could convince Mr.C.M.Rao that since I can handle Ships independently it will be advantageous to the organization to allow me to directly take up vessels without getting attached to any Marine Engineer. Mr. C.M.Rao agreed and I was doing ships independently with one of the four supervisors to help me.
M.V.Grab Dredger ‘DURGA’ was built by us for Vizag Port and after the delivery Port Authorities found that the port and starboard Main engines were fitted in swapped i:e port Engine fitted on Stbd side and vice-versa.
The vessel was sent our repair section for rectification. And Mr.P.K.Sanyal was asked to attend. Mr. S.J.Williams was his supevisor .After One week of progress Mr.C.M.Rao vented his spleen on Mr. Sanyal for the meager progress of work and advised me to take over the repair from Mr.Sanyal.
On Inspection I asked Mr. C.M.Rao whether I am to do a Repair job or a Construction job? And if a construction job is to be done I need a couple of months sine both the Engines Foundations require to be renewed as the foundation bolts half-the holes match with the half the holes of Engines bottom flanges.Where as for a repair job I need about One week or Ten days Maximum.
I was advised to do a repair job. I then bedded all the existing foundation bolts to suit the bolt-holes as they were and made double washers for each bolt and tightened all the bolts and finally welded stoppers on the bed foundation flanges to prevent any shifting of the engines. During the sea Trials of the Dredger, I found the Port Shaft Plummer Bearing was getting very hot and Oil Vapor was bellowing out of bearing. I then started to continuously pour Lub. Oil in the bearing and instructed my supervisor to slacken the bearing foundation bolts, remove them one by one and replace same with loose bolts and after the bearing cooled down got the bolts tightened. Obviously the Horizontal center line of the bearing was not in line with the shaft ‘s horizontal center line. After the trials I got stoppers welded to prevent shifting of bearing. The total job was completed in SIX DAYS TIME.
I regret to note that in my presence Mr.Sanyal was severely reprimanded. It only exhibited the biased views of the Manager against the Marine Engineers in general. Mr. P.K.Sanyal resigned shortly there after. The other Marine Engineer Mr. Nori was allotted to attend one Naval Submarine ‘I.N.S.Kursura’ repairs in our dry-dock. The vessel was in dry-dock for ‘Navigational Refit’ which was estimated for 3-weeks.
After starting the repairs of submarine, Mr. Nori resigned and I was asked to take over the same.
For the first time in my life I had a seen a submarine and even though I was to attend to Engine repairs. And out of curiosity, I got associated in all other jobs other than my Engineering jobs on the submarine.
The machine shop in the dry-dock was a very small unit consisting of 2 nos HMT lathes, 1-Radial Drilling machine and one Universal Boring machine. We found that the machines were not adequate and we had to very often depend on yard machine shop where we had no control on their labour bookings on our jobs. So I made a survey of Yard Disposals Section, selected 2-old lathe machines, 1- vertical boring machine, one Power Hack-saw machine and 1- Remington type machine in a better condition and still serviceable. I prevailed
Upon our MSR Mr. C.M.Rao to get them transferred to Dry-dock, got them overhauled and put them in commission even with out their foundations. We got some trainee boys from HSL Training school to man these machines and an educated casual labourer khalasi as a typist..
Mr. K.V.S.Rao joined as a Marine Engineer.Mr. K.V.S.Rao when met me in the drydock, was surprised to see me here and mentioned that he knew me earlier while he was an engineer on the some Scindia Vessel of which vessel’s feed pump fell in the K.P.Dock water and which was retrieved by me.
Cdr.Ramnathan was the incharge of the W.O.T.(war ship repaiaring Team) There were Russian Specialists from Navy to Co-ordinate and supervise all the repairs.
When we opened the Diving system, Kingston Flaps Base Rings wre found corroded in way of chromium plated surface. Russia specialists recommended renewal of these base rings but I offered to repair them to their satisfaction. We under machined the surface and then deposited welded metal using special ‘Eutectode-680’ stainless steel electrodes after ‘preheating the rings and machined the surface o the vertical boring machine and finally gave a ‘mirror image’ to the surface.. Russians were happy and cleared the repair.
Naval enquiry was to lift vertical Rudder nd H.S,L. quoted only Rs. 500-00 for the job. But on inspection I found that a great lot of linkages and mechanism required to disconnected prior to unshipment of Vertical Rudder. Again we had to submit a fresh quotation for these jobs and on their acceptance we attempted the job.
The Rudder Link –Tie- rod , a link of nearly 30’-0 length had her one end threads worn out. Russians recommended for replacing it.
Again , I offered to repair the same. I took the material borings of the rod for Chemical analysis and after knowing the composition of material we cut the damaged section of rod, bored a threaded hole at the machined end of the rod, fitted a new threaded material of same composition, then locked the new piece in way of threaded section to prevent any unscrewing , re-machined and threaded the new added piece. Finally we sent it to V.P.T.Test house for Tensile Stress and since the result was to Russian specifications, the repair was accepted by Navy.
Here also our quotation was ridiculously low and I brought the same to the notice of Mr.CM.Rao Manager. So once again I was asked to bail out. We started giving fresh quotations for the additional jobs and recover.
Then one day Mr.C.M.Rao called me and asked whether I can repair a Steam vessel, On my assertion I was asked to attend repairs on an other naval landing craft ‘I.N.S.Magar’ a steam vessel with Twin-Screwed & having Port and Stbd. Steam Triple expansion engines.
The vessel was berthed at the Dolphine jetty at the entrance of our drydock. On inspection on my enquiy I was informed by the Engineer officer Lt.Kalonia that they had some fuel oil in their D.B.Tanks.
I advised the Engineer officer to have the oil removed and tanks to be ‘Gas-Freed’ prior to vessel’s dry-docking.
After having got the oil removed the vessel was docked.
On Scrutiny of the job list and our quotation, I found that all the jobs were grossly Under-Quoted in prices and proved to the Manager and the estimator.
I was asked to bail out. I, with the estimator verifying, submitted revised quotations for all the additional jobs on each item.
During the repairs on I.N.S.Magar, the W.O.T ( Warship overseeing Team) in charge Lt. Malhotra sent a letter that the fresh water supply
By HSL to the naval vessel was being supplied at about 02-00Am causing a lot of inconvenience to ship’s complement and to arrange to water at normal working time in the days.
I was asked by Mr.C.M.Rao to reply the letter.
I replied to navy stating that V.P.T.was supplying water to H.S.L. well after midnight forcing us to supply water to vessel only after we got water from V.P.T. If the time of our supply was found inconvenient to them, then Navy may arrange water supply to their vessels while in our premises henceforth. The vessel got reconciled to our timings of water supply.
The repairs on I.N.S.Mager were completed. During Sea-trials, we found that the stbd.main engine H.P.Rod gland( Metallic) packing which was renewed, was causing the piston rod getting red hot in a streak. I asked the engineer officer to get me a bucket of lub.oil and started to pump oil with a hand pump on the red hot streak The engineer Officer got concerned about a fire hazard & complained to Cdr. John the Then Incharge Engineer Officer from dockyard known as B.R.O, on board witnessing the trials. Cdr. John , advised the engineer officer not to disturb me and that ‘that was the only way to cool the rod while working.’
After trials we re-bedded and rectified the packing.
After the resignation of Mr. G.V.Nori, one Mr. Bhan joined as a Marine Engineer for a short time and After him one Mr. Chowdary joined as a Marine Engineer.
Probably to circumvent my problem to work under ‘Marine Engineer’ the designation of ‘Marine Engineer’ was renamed as ‘Additional Manager’.
Some Merchant Vessels dry-docked nd on one these vessels a Simplex Rudder had to un-shipped for re wooding of her bushes . The Unique feature of this type of Rudder is that it has besides its Rudder Stock, there is an other Axle Shaft which is connected by bolts on a Flange in the Counter, this shaft passes through 2 nos bushes in the Rudder with’ lignumvitae’ wood lining and is connected to a Skeg arrangement at the bottom un like the conventional Balanced Rudder with is suspended from the rudder stock flange. H.S.L.drydock workmen had never seen this type of rudder and I had to guide them to dismantle, re-wood the bushes and re-assemble the rudder.
Mr. C.M.Rao was elevated to the position of ‘CHIEF MANAGER’ Shiprepairs and one Mr. K.R.Pappu from yard was brought in as the Manager of Ship Repairs.
During the tenure of Mr. Pappu as Manager, repairs on I.N.S.Magar were successfully completed and sent to Dockyard.
After repairs on I.N.S.Magar a series of Naval Submarines were allotted to our Drydock for repairs and I had had the opportunity to attend to all the Submarines on Enginnering jobs.
Mr. S.Basu the Estimator in the Estimation Cell resigned to join as an I.R.S.Surveyor and Mr. T.Ramnarayana Asst.Etimator was promoted as an Estimator and about 3 more B.E.Boys were taken on as supervisors in the Estimation Cell.
During the time in-between the Submarines One Cheveron Oil Tanker ( An American Tanker) berthed at Caltex O.R.-I jetty called H.S.L and some other Local firms for an Emergency repairs to her Main Sea-Water Circulating Pump.
Mr. Pappu and myself went on board. The Captain and the Chief Engineer explained the job that the Main Seawater Circulating Pump
Had packed up and that the Main Injection valve connecting the pump to directly sea is not holding. They wanted our ‘Line of Action’ for repair of the Pump. The Captain and the Chief Engineer finally selected us to do the job and asked for our quote. I asked for ‘Cost+’ basis as a condition for taking up the job. The job was given to us.
We engaged a Port Diver to take the sizes of Main Injection Valve Suction Grid and the sizes of openings in the grid, made a wooden board with Coir Pillow and secured the wooden board to the suction grid by ‘J’ bolts as was done by me on M.V’Elevern Bank’ in Calcutta Port earlier. After the sea water flow was found reduced, we put a spoon blank between the sea injection valve and the sea injection pipe and removed the sea water pump for repairs and refitted in place refitted in place after repairs.
On my personal side, 6 months after I joined H.S.L. I applied to The Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, West Bengal, Calcutta to arrange to forward my P.F .Amount to my P.F. Account in H.S.L.
There was no response. I continued my correspondence with that Office and also started contacting The Regional P.F.Commissioner, Hyderabad, & then The Central P.F.Commissioner, New-Delhi. Having received no response from any of these offices, even after TEN LONG Years of Correspondence, I Wrote an Appeal to the Hon.Prime Minister Of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi.
There was a political storm at that time and Smt .Indira Gandhi lost her power. Hon.Sri Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister of India.
I started appealing to his office. The Political turmoil continued and Sri,Morarji Desai also lost power and Smt. Indira Gandhi came back to power.
When I sent my fresh appeal to her, She was so Magnanimous to reply me stating that “ She regretted for the lapses of her Government and assured that my Funds will be transferred with in 30-days and if I did not get any response from the West Bengal P.F.Commissioner’s Office, I should approach her Office again.
‘PROMPTO’ -my P. F. Dues were transferred within 30 days time though it did take more than TEN LONG YEARS.
We started to do repairs on ‘Dredging Corporation Dredges’
With Such a Huge Infrastructure as there was in the Dry-Dock Division, I could persuade Mr. C.M.Rao to do ship repairs even on ship at their Loading Berths import Area and follow up such balance repairs on naval vessels that could not be completed in our drydock premises. Mr. C.M.Rao consented for my proposal and we started an Afloat- Wing. A small launch was provided for transporting our men & Materials to various vessels berthed in port area as well as to complete pending jobs on naval vessels in the Naval Dockyard.
Work Force in Hindustan Shipyard was found ‘Most Pampered’ and generally found ‘Not Committed to their Work.’ The culture I found was that No One Was Indispensable and further, these workmen were all transferred from the Yard Departments, where there is always another day in the construction programmed. Where as in Ship Repair Culture, a day consists of 24 hrs and Every hour is counted for the delay. Further, the workmen must cultivate the ‘Sense of Involvement’ in the jobs and take responsibility for what they do which was found in want.. But as per the existing labour rules there is a break after every two hours of their presence in the work spot either for their tea or for their lunch and then the time is up for the end of their shift of work. So effectively a work man Even if he wants to work sincerely, can possibly get only 1 and ½ hrs to two hrs to do the job. I had to prevail on this fact to Mr. C.M.Rao and insisted that Engaging Workmen in Overtimes in the Ship Repair jobs is unavoidable to inculcate the involvement of workmen in their jobs.
This non-involvement in the jobs was noticed in some of our supervisors also. Mr.M.Satyanaraya an Engg. Supervisor in Dry-dock had a habit of absenting himself on every Monday. With the condsent of Mr.C.M.Rao, I took a transport and visited Mr.M.Satyanarayana on such a Monday and enquired about his health. He, being a resident in the Supervisors’ lane of houses, got a surprise on my visit to his residence. But when I repeated these visits on his consecutive absence of Mondays, he had apparently realized that his frequent absence was being noticed and that his services were indispensable besides his ‘EGO’ got boosted up. This had a telling effect on the morale of other Supervisors and workmen also.
Workmen used get ready to go the various vessels by 7-30 A.M. and as soon as they reach the vessel they started waiting for their tea from HSL. The launch after dropping men at their vessels, used to go back to H.S.L. and bring their ‘Tea’ from H.S.L.to serve the work force on these ships and soon as the Tea Trip was over Work Force was ready to go back to H.S,L,for their Lunch at H.S.L.Canteen. The whole exserice became a ‘Farce’.
So I arranged with the Naval Dock Yard Management as well as with the Port Canteen to serve Tea at our ‘H.S.L.Subsidised Rates’ and that we will Reimburse the balance of cost if any between the cost of their tea and our subsidized rates of tea Thus we could send the work force to vessels and collect them back only for lunch, thus saving multiple trips for the launch.
I was deputed to co-ordinate with the afloat repairs on various vessels.
In view of the sudden spate of ship repairs I the dry-dock as well as afloat ships, I suugested to M.S.R. Mr. K/R. Pappu that we should have a floating strength of workmen by engaging Manpower suppliers to supply tradesmen as and required. But while appreciating my idea f engaging additional work force he put up a proposal to Off-Load jobs by enrolling some contract firms as our Sub-Contractors even though I hinted that once they learn repairs thy will become our Potential Competitors.
But my caution was not heeded. In the end I was forced to train these contractors and their men to do repairs to our specifications.
Dry dock had introduced a ‘Separate Local Purchase’ system for obtaining materials from the Markets for ship repairs to avoid procurement delays.. So I used to go to various local shops for material purchase, obtain price lists, phone up to our Manager about the cost at various shops, and with official verbal approval, I used lift the materials on my signatures advising the shops to send their bills to Manager, Ship Repairs, H.S.L.. As soon as I reached my Office, I used to make out a written statement of my action of purchase as a ‘Confirmation Report daily’.
Once an S.C.I. Oil Tanker was brthed at Caltex Oil Jetty and she had her Main engine Exhaust Bellows Cracked and required renewal. I was sent on board with a local Repair contractor registered with us and renewed the Bellows out of Boiler Quality steel plate complete with its Corrugations and expansion sleeve as per sample to the satisfaction of Classification Surveyor.
Generally I only was being deputed by C.M.S.R. & M.S.R. to get the Off loaded jobs done on Various vessels in Port Area by the contractors because of my Shalimar Service and this probably might have earned me an’ILL-Reputation’ un-Knowingly to me even though I was not susceptible.
Mr. C. M.Rao was transferred to yard as CHIEF MANAGER, YARD ENGINEERING dept. and Mr, M.G. KUTTY took over as ship repairs Chief Manager with Mr. K.R.Pappu as manager.
Visakhapatnam Port Trust had a Motor tug’Arjun’. She had her main engine crank shaft Main Bearings run out .and wanted H.S.L. to take up repairs .Mr>Pappu was not inclined to take up repairs but I suggested that as H.S.L being next door to V.P.T. we should accept the job and if we ourselves cannot manage ,we may get the job done by outside parties. On the M.S.R.’ consent, finding that no local party was capable of taking up the job I contacted one Mr. D.A.Mathews Ex-Works Manger of The Shalimar Works Ltd., Calcutta and my Ex-colleague who took up the job.
I was again entrusted to supervise the job. Mr.Mathew’s team disconnected the Main Engine parts, lifted the Crankshaft, found that the journals and crankpins were scored badly, we sent the shaft to Calcutta by road transport for necessary grinding of journals and pins.
The Bearings were ‘Tri-metal’ Bearings’. We selected ’E.N.24’ Spring Steel plate, made new bearing shells and Electronically deposited a micron thin copper coating before depositing thin layer of white metal lining electronically. These bearings can only become circular when they are fully tightened in their housings and these bearings need not be bedded on their journals and pins. I had to make frequent trips to Calcutta for supervision of the job and finally the job was satisfactorily completed and the satisfactory trials of the Tug was completed.
I was elected as a Joint Secretary of The Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., Officers’ Association for a two year tenure from Ship Repair Division. During this time noting that there is no ‘House Building Advances Scheme’ in Vogue in H.S.L.while it existed in other Public Sector Undertakings even in those under Ministry Of Transport like ours’, I corresponded with the Officers’ Associations of those undertakings, besides the Central Lobour ministry for details and started appealing to our Management and through our Management to the Secretary, Ministry Of Transport, New Delhi. I could at last succeed in my efforts and the HOUSE BUILDING ADVANCES were granted. But I could never get into the First batch that got the allotment.
During this time a new Director Technical post was created and an Officer from Non-Marine Background or rather from Production industry joined us as Director Technical.
After studying the ship repair functions, the overtime wage bills of workmen and invariable time run outs of schedules in completion of ships in dry-dock, one day he called for a meeting of all the technical officers of ship repairs in the conference hall in Dry-dock. He started
to harangue us as a bunch of ’Most Incompetent’ set of clowns and so on. After taking the bile for some time, I excused my self for the favour of a few words to say When permitted, I started saying that it was unfortunate for us who were picked and chosen from various organizations as veterans to be called as clowns by some one who does not know the ‘Fore&Aft.nor Port&Stgd sides of a ship to sit in judgment over us and our capabilities.
Overruns of cost and time of schedules is inevitable in ship repairs since we quote for a ship when she is on High Seas some miles away and when we actually open up the jobs we normally find a totally different package of work which Even the Chief Engineer Living On board does not visualize. It is a common instance in the ship repair industry. And in order to try and compress the time factor, It is equally imperative to engage work force in OVERTIME.
I was called to his office and of course was threatened to get a sack but was let off with a warning that ‘ for this time only’.
During Mr. M.G.Kutty’s tenure a series of Submarines were dry-docked in HSL dry-dock and I attended on all the Engineering jobs
On these vessels.
I.N.S.Khanderi naval submarine came for her Medium Refit with an estimated duration of 8 to 9 months. HSL built a partition bulkhead in the Dry-dock isolating this vessel from the rest of the Dry-dock and started the work. With the encouragement of the Management , and with the consent of Navy, I initiated in attempting to look for alternative procurement sources in Local Market for items like Alluminum Bronze, Neoprene rubber rings for Kingston and Main vent flaps there by to avoid importing these from Russia. And H.S.L
Could introduce a lot of items used for renewal of spares by locating Indian Equivalants
I also did an in-situ boring of Aft.Planes Bearing bushes after they were re metalled.
I could collect a lot of information regarding Russian Materials,their chemical and physical properties and their Indian substitutes which was found very useful.
During this overhaul, we found that the ‘Bottle-guides’ for Rudder and Aft.Planes were barreled and the’ Ball guides’were deeply scored. We bored the barreled bores on these ‘ Bottle-Guides and machined the Ball guides, sent borings for material analysis and metal-claded the ball guides with bronze by Eutectic process and then machined to sizes.
When I.N.S.Khanderi floted to sail to Naval Dockyard, a few items of steel section, Plumbing section and Engineering sction were in an in-complete stage. While Steel section and Plumbing section surrendered those jobs to Naval dockyard I insisted to complete all the jobs that were in hand even by going to Naval Dockyard. I was allowed to do so and I successfully completed all jobs in hand.
During the weekly progress meetings on the work on I.N.S.Khanderi
Wher-in Cdrs, Lt.Cdrs from the Indian Navy and the departmental heads of Dry-dock used to participate. In one of the meetings.
On seeing the successful repairs on the Ball-guides by us,Navy placed an order for the manufacture and supply of Two numbers of new Ball guides.Dockyard was required since Navy envisaged a delay in procurement of new units from U.S.S.R.
When Navy cleared our quotation, we forged two blooms in our forge shop, machined body and slotted Dove-tailed grooves along the machined body, and Phos.Bronge metal-claded on the body, impact tested the bronze overlay and fine machined and supplied to Navy. Lt.Cdr.Bhatia in-charge of the project & complimented us for the Import Substitution.
Later same Lt.Cdr.Bhatia joined as Rear Admiral Bhatia and was posted in Vizag as D.G.N.P. and requested to meet me an honour I always cherish.
Mr. M.G.Kutty was Transferred and Mr. K.K.Banerjee took over as Chief Manager, ShipRepairs.
During his time I applied to ‘The Institute Of Marine Engineers (I)’, Bombay for an enrollment as a Member and submitted my Bio-data. To my Surprise I was informed that I was elected as ‘Fellow Of The Istitute’ with my Membership no as ‘F-VZ-0037’.
Shortly thereafter Mr. Banerjee was Transferred and Mr. C.Subramanyam took over as Chief Manager,ShipRepairs.
D.C.I.Purchased one New Suction Dredger from Nether lands.
She had to get her Middle Generator replaced and for other dry-dock repairs.
I was entrusted to do the job. To remove the Middle Generator from Engine Room either by we removing the E.R.Sky-light or cut an opening in the shell plating in the engine room..The job of steel plate removal was given to Dry-dock .Steel section ,But they expressed their in ability to do the job. So I was asked whether I can take up the job or call the yard department. I accepted the job and cut a shell plate opening on the Stbd.side of Engine Room, erected massive stages in the dry-dock from dock floor level to ship’s shell opening, shifted the removed generator engine and placed on the stages and transported to workshop by Jetty crane.
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Similarly, new generator engine was transported t site in engine room, fitted in place, closed shell opening and hose tested the shell plate opening after welding. During this job I had to perform the marriage of my Eldest Daughter and when the Dutch Officers on the Vessel expressed their desire to witnwess an Indian Marriage function I invited them to be guests and they did grace the occasion.
During his time, ‘.S.S.Nancowry’ an S.C.I.Passenger Vessel was docked. During the repairs one Main Bearing of her Main H.P.Turbine rotor shaft required to be re-meta led. The S.C.I. attending Suptdt.was Mr.Bal.
Mr. Subramanyam was reluctant to take up the job. But I assured Mr. Subramanyam and Mr.Bal that We can take up the job and sent the bearing for re-metal ling. I made a special cage gig for boring the bearing. The specialty of the gig was that only when the gig with both halves of the bearing is fully tightened , bore of the bearing will become Circular and the bearing has to be machined to shaft size + Oil Clearance. Bearing need not be bedded on the shaft.
When the job was completed and Main Turbine tried out, and the bearing was found satisfactory.
Mr. Chowdary resigned and only Mr. K.V.S.Rao remained as an Additional Manager. He was transferred to Yard Engineering section on promotion as Manager Engg.
We started getting M/s. Union (India)Co. Fishing vessels for repairs and dry-docking repairs. Mr. A.K.Ghose was the Resident Representative for the Company in Vizag.
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Mr. N.Venkataramayya Asst.Manager Ship Repairs was transferd to yard Maintenance dept on promotion as Manager,Maintenance and the S.R. Estimation Section was headed by one Mr.B.S.S.Rao a deputy Manager in S.R Steel Section on promotion as an ‘Additional Manager’.
Mr. C.Subramanyam Chief Manager Ship Repairs was transferred to Yard Departments.
The post of ‘ Chief Manager Ship Repair’ was upgraded as Dy.General Manager,Ship Repirs and Mr. C.S.R.Anjaneyulu Dy.G.M from yard was transferred as Dy.G.M.Ship Repairs.
During his tenure, a vigorous business promotion for Ship Repairs was taken up.
I was deputed to go to New Delhi Head Quarters of Coast Guard on the Business promotion job seekng more of their vessels for HSL and on the advice of C.G.Hq., New Delhi proceded to Bombay to their vessels from the Western Command Of C.G.
Two Coast Guard Vessels from Southern Command, Madras base ‘Chand Bibi’ and her sister vessel came to us for Dry-dock and handing over repairs by the Builders of the vessels. These were of Twin Screw type ‘Off Shore Petrol Vessels for the Indian Coast Guard, Madras Base.I had to withdraw both propeller shafts for inspection after taking clearances,
Attend to all other allied Dry-dock jobs. These vessels ha a Unique Stern Gland arrangement since they had Bellows in the Stern gland in the engine room and these bellows were inflated with pneumatic pressure. We did repairs on a series of Coast Guard Vessels there after.
During the time Rear Admiral K.R.Menon as C & M.D, H.S.L., Naval Head Quarters New Delhi wanted us to quote our price for a Medium Refit of their big Ship I.N.S.AMBA the Mother Ship for Submarine fleet. So a team of Officers ( Mr. S.D.Dorai Raj from Steel & Dockng section, Mr. T.Ramnarayana Asst.Estimator, Mr. J.S.Negi from Plumbing section and myself from engineering section headed by Mr. K.R.Pappu Manager,Ship Repairs were sent to Bombay Naval Western Command to check and assess the jobs and submit our
Price and Time for the refit. We estimated a price of Rs. 9.90 Crores and a time factor of 4 months for those jobs shown to us. There after we returned to Vizag. It was given to understand that Navy only wanted to assess the cost of repairs On Commercial Basis’ and eventually the job was taken up by Naval Dock Yard, Visakhapatnam with more cost and time OVER RUN it was gathered.
Mr. K.R.Pappu Mnager Ship Repairs was transferred on promotion
To head a ‘Quality Control Wing’ newly formed and to report directly to The Chairman &Managing Director of HSL
After Mr. C.S.R.Anjaneyulu as Dy. G.M.Ship Repairs, Mr.S. Sudarshanam joined from yard deprtments as a new Dy.G.M.
During his time D.C.I.wanted us to quote for’ Renewal of Pedestal Stools for Hydraulic Rams operating Hopper Doors and that the vessel was dredging in Paradip Port.
Mr. Sudarshanam deputed me to go to Paradip port and assess the job. I made sketches of the stools and their dimensions got drawings made in our Dry-dock estimation cell and a Quotation was made out by Est.Cell and sent. When the vessel arrived, Steel section probably peeved by inspecting the job expressed their in ability to take up the job.Mr. Sudershanam called me and enquired whether can I do the job or to call for yard steel dept to take up the job
.I accepted to take up the job. I disconnected the Hydraulic Rams and their Cylinders, removed the existing pedestal stools along with their base plates, got the new Pedestals fabricated and the new base plates, made a machined Dummy ram with polished body length complete with its threaded thimble and nut, placed new pedestals with base plates and while moving dummy ram through the new pedestals and temporarily connecting hopper door chains and quadrants temporarily, aligned the new stools on new base plates, and secured the new pedestals in position. I finally gave the ‘chaulk- test’ of hopper doors in the dock and successfully completed the job.
During his tenure, Mr.Sudershanam fought for my promotion and got my promotion as ‘Deputy Manager’.After 11yrs of my joining after getting stagnated for the last 9 yrs with not even one increment having reached the Max.of scale of basic pay.
The Mr.Sudershanam was transferred to Yard as ‘Technical Director and Mr. K.V.S.Rao was transferred back to Dry-dock & Ship Repairs Division as Dy.G.M.
Once The Union Carbide(I)Co. placed an order for Manufacture and
Supply of propeller shaft which was about 33’-0 feet in length and
about 10” in dia.
I located an M.S.Bloom of 12”- Square with a length of about 35’-0.
I obtained the Material Certificate from our Steel Stores and after the material approval by A.B.S. classification, got it forged and machined
To sizes in our yard machine shop.
Suddenly the A.B.S.Surveyor Mt. Aneja gave a surprise stating the machined propeller shaft needs ‘Stress Relieved’. I did not know where to get the shaft stress relieved. Evn V.P.T. ds not have such a long furnace. So I ordered 2000 nos ‘Dried up Cow Dung Cakes’ of 10” dia x 1/2 ” thick and having a Max. 30% moisture content. Covered the entire shaft with these cakes and lighted the cakes over a week-end keeping a supervisor in vigil.
A.B.S.wanted the method of our ‘Stress Relieving’ procedure and on our submission sent the report to their H.Q .in NewYork.
After two weeks time A.B.S. informed us that the Stress Relieving procedure was ‘ACCEPTED’.
Then A.B.S.wanted us to do ‘Araldite-cladding’ on the shaft in between the bearing journals to protect shaft from sea-water erosion.
Further A.B.S.Wanted 2 nos. Phos.Bronze Sleeves tested to 14 lbs. hydraulic pressure and’ Shrunk Fitted ‘on the Shaft in way of bearing journals.
I got the new sleeves heated to 100 degs. Temp. in an oil bath and shrunk fitted same on the journals.
As usual, I used t send my progress of work with day-to-day additional jobs list to our Estimation section.
M/s. U.C.I.L.placed an other order for a similar propeller shaft on H.S.L.Ship Repair Division after SIX MONTHS. We Complied with that order also and the Estimation section accepted the order on a ‘REPEAT ORDER BASIS’
Addl.Manager Estimation cell and the additional Manager S.R.Accounts wing asked for my explanation for heavy loss in thev job of manufacturing the Two Propellor Shafts for M/s. U.C.I.L. and made insinuations against me for heavy bookings of labour.
I then called for the concerned file from the Estimation cell and made out a Chronological order of events during the said manufacturing time and pointed our that the Estimation Cell DID NOT CONSIDER all the Additional jobs done from time to time but simply billed as per their Original Quotation. Further, Estimation Cell Accepted a Second Shaft Order ‘On Repeat Order Basis’ Instead Of Submitting
a Revised Quotation there by contributing heavy loss on the Job and now blaming Production Depts.
Hopper Suction Dredger ‘H.S.D.Konark’ from Paradip Port came in for Dry-dock and annual repairs. That H.S.L.Labour Union was of C.P.M. Party. The union was frequently stooping work eve on very flimsy grounds. The Committee member from Dry-Dock Engineering section was found more aggressive. He was never found at workspot but used to demand the concerned supervisor for his overtime bookings even not being present at workspot.So one day I instructed my supervisor to allocate and and another person on dismantling of Hydrualic Rams of the dredger. After partly opening and exposing the rams , without covering them from dust, he vanished. So I put up a not to Labour Office to fclarify whether Union Committee Members are to be give FREE ATTENDENCE INCLUDING OVERTIME WAGES or any action can be taken if he was found absent unauthorisedly. The committee member was promptly SUSPENDED from duty pending an enquiry. After that incident no worker from engineering section stood for their elections as committee member.
Suddenly we had a very slump period in ship repairs division.
Then our C&M.D was Rear Admiral K.R.Menon and Director Technical was Mr. A.S.N.Rao from Non-Marine Industry.
I proposed a scheme stating ways to revive the Ship Repairs in the following points.
1).Introduce an incentive scheme to workers like offering sub-contract of jobs to a batch of workmen and they should complete the job in our stipulated time. We pay only the normal wages for the workmen as per our calculated man days and even if they have to work overtime hours then they will not be paid for those hours and if they fail to complete the job in the time allocated they will not given be given those normal wages for the days of work beyond agreed time.
2) There should retrenchment of work force on ‘Last Come First Go Basis’
3) Transfer workmen to their parent departments from where they were taken to form the S.R.Division.
I signed the proposal addressed to C.&M.D through proper channel.
Mr.B.S.S.Rao Addl.Manager.Estimatiopn cell and Mr.V.V.Ramana Murthy Addl.Manager, S.R.Accounts section also wanted to signatories to the proposal. And ofcourse they also signed.
When the proposal reached the Director Technical Mr.A.S.N.Rao he called me and very happily said that I will get a sack from the C.&.M.D. for this proposal and forwarded with my request to him to do so.
C.&M.D. Rear Admn. Menon called me asking me if I am calling him ‘In-efficient’? But he did say this in a sportive manner and appreciated me for my thoughts to develop the business unlike the normal robotic officers.
Surprisingly we found that we were sked to implement the schem mentioned as no 1) proposal.Then, Mr.K.V.S.Rao Dy.G.M.S.R. started calculating the mandays per each job and started offering the scheme.
During Mr. K.V.S.Rao’s tenure as Dy.G.M. I was deputed to lead a team of Officers consisting of Mr. R.V.Subba Rao Dy.Manager,Steel Section, Mr.S.D.Raj from Docking Section and Mr. T.Ramnarayana from est.cell to go to Madras to pursue the work package on O.N.G.C.
Southern Regional Head Office at Madras for ‘Off-Shore Drilling Vesssel M.V.Sagar Prabhat’ Dry-docking and repairs. ONGC apparently arrived at a tacit decision to allot the Vessel to Cochin Ship Yard Ltd., but We could convince them about our Time Schedules and Works Efficiency and got their decision in our favour.
We received a message from ONGC,Madras that they propose to send the vessel to our yard and that we inspect the vessel deployed in the K.G.Basin. Accordingly Mr.K.V.S.Dy.G.M.deputed to lead a team to visit the vessel. Myself leading, with Mr.S.V.S.Raju Asst.Engineer Engineering,S.R.Division, Mr S.D.Dorairaj docking Master and Mr.T.Ramnarayana Estimator,S.R.Estimation cell et out to Vijayawada from where ONGC operates a regular Helicopter Service to and from the vessel. We were received by ONGC at Vijayawada and taken to vessel by Helicopter. We stayed on board the vessel for about one week, collected all details and on return started making arrangements to receive the vessel
We got the Vessel for dry-docking and repairs and achieve their schedules of time. Since then this vessel and her sister vessels were our regular customers
Once a supplier tried to offer me a packet of ‘Goodwill’. I promptly reported the matter to Dy.G.M. Mr. K.V.S.Rao against the supplier.
Apparently, Estimation Cell- In charge Mr. B.S.S.Rao did not forget
‘ My turning the tables’ on his cell for the loss in UCIL job. So he had conspired and implicated me in a false case where an Emergency purchase of 4 kgs. Of ‘Moly-kote’ a Lub.Cream used in underwater jobs was allegedly purchased at a higher cost in which as a member of a purchase committee I only forwarded the proposal with my comment ‘ FORWARDED FOR CONSIDERATION” to the purchasing authority in the absence of other two members Mr. B.S.S.Rao & Addl.Managr S.R.Accounts both being on official tour.
In a trumped up charge that I purchased the material at a higher cost, I was suspended pending enquiry. I then submitted a copy of my Chronological events of UCIL works To Director Finance, a copy of which I submitted to Dy.G.M earlier to clear my name as
in- charge of Production wing from the insinuations of job losses and that this act of framing me in a case is simply implicating me in the false case was only a vindictive and resultant act .As a prompt action probably by Director Finance Mr. B.S.S.Rao was forced to resign from service.
I was proved Not Guilty in the enquiry and was re-instated after 30 months of suspension.
I then requested for a transfer from Ship Repair wing and I was posted in Quality Control Cell under Mr.K.R.Pappu, Chief Manager directly reporting to C&MD,HSL
Mr.K.V.S.Rao resigned from Shipyard shortly after and Joined M/s.Dredging Corporation Of India, Visakhapatnam as General Manager (Technical).
Chapter IV (1):-
My Service in the Quality Control section of HSL.
I joined as a Dy.Manager Engineering but was advised by Mr.K.R.Pappu Chief Manager, Quality cell that since I can do all trades of Engineering, suggested that I can check even steel fabrication jobs assisting Mr.G.Naik, Manager Steel section of Q.C.Cell and plumbing jobs as well.
My job was to First inspect the job and call for Classification inspection.Some time I used to accompany the surveyer and make a joint inspection.
My first job in Q.C. was to witness a ho tst on Sea/Underwater valves while the vessel Yard no.1130 was in the berth.
I found that the Boiler Blow Down Valve was found leakng and on inspection found that the valve was in open condition. Mr.N.Singh was the L.R.Surveyer. I commented that the valve is not acceptable since the valve was in open condition and Valve handle was not on the valve as required as per Lloyds Regulations and that valve is to be replaced.
When joined Q.C. Vessel Yard no.1128 was ready for delivery and was havingher finishing touches of jobs. When I checked the Steering Compartment and the Rudder Stock Assembly I found that the Tiller Clamp on the Stock was having a minute clearance while the both halves of the clamp were fully tight. I objected to this and wanted the Clamp to Hug on the Stock and the Clamp Cheeks to have a clearance. I was given an assurance that it will be done and offer for my inspection. But Not Done.
But I insisted that this was to be done in my presence on the next Vessels Yard no.1129 & 1130. I got the Rudder Tiller Clamp disconnected, got 0.5 mm. machined off from both the clamp faces of each half of clamp and got the tiller clamp reassembled. The clamp now hugged on the stock and had a clearance of 0.5 mm.in the clamp.
On vessel Yard no.1130 in the Steering flat I found no provision to hold Rudder Stock in case Rudder requires un-shipment for repairs in her ensuing dry-docks and insisted for necessary modifications.
Similarly, H.S.L .used to use Rubber insertion jointing even for Sea Valves with the shell joint faces. It may be mentioned here that that these joints do not have Even Surfaces and secondly they do perish in service and if that case a cement box on the seavalve fitting with shell side or seek an Emergency Docking to rectify it I objected to using Rubber insertion jointing for Sea Valve fittings on their shell side Flanges and insisted that the valve flange faces are to be bedded on the shell pad and use Double Canvas joint since the Joint will be a Permanent Joint while rubber insertion joint will not be so For this modification I had to make a lot of Correspondence with the Plumbing design office and bring it to the notice of Even the General Manager.
During my inspection of the installation of Main Engine Starting Air Bottles in position, I found that one of the foundation foot legs was damaged in transit. I recommended same to be renewed.
The concerned Dy.Manager Mr. A.N.Vedula tried to ridicule me in front of S.C.I.Representative Mr.V.K.Bhalla that how can I recommend renewal of a supplier’s item when it was supplied after Classification certification and saying that I could not have known this being a Ship Repair man and a Construction man.
Stung to the core, I called for the Drawing, and requested classification to clarify whether the foundation legs are also under Pressure? On clarification from Classification in writing that the foundation legs do not have any pressure I showed these classification’s remarks to Mr.Bhalla and suggested that he may order Mr.Vedula to new the legs now.
On another occasion Mr.Vedula again tried to ridicule me when I rejected Steering Engine Foundation Bolts finding that the their nuts were had a Running Fit on the bolts. He commented that even Main Engine Foundation bolts do have such running nuts on the bolts and that they were cleared by I.R.S.Surveyer. Since any Classification Surveyor will carry out a Random check and not every item,I demanded for re-inspection of those and rejected those bolts and nuts.I discussed with Classification that when the profile of thread is in in an Inverted’V’ profile with similar thread profile in the nuts & the nut will have ‘Spanner tight’ fit otherwise nuts will be loose nuts and not acceptable. & Classification concurred with my views.
Similarly General Stores used to obtain fabricated Manhole rings out of segments of plates with studs welded on the reverse face of the rings and have an uneven face due to welds not dressed up.. If we imagine if one of these rings are fitted on a D.B oil Tank the cover cannot be tightened with the joint due its uneven surface and If one of the studs break at sea , the Engineers will be just Mute Spectators since they can neither renew the broken stud by using a drilling machine which requires Gas-Free condition or allow the cargo to be damaged. Hence, I objected to these rings and insisted that the manhole rings if made out of segments Must have bedded faces and studs must be fitted in threaded holes only and not to be welded.
My another job was once I Once I went along with the I.R.S.Surveyer Mr. C.Sreerama Murthy to survey a new Pressure Vessel offered by yard Plumbing section.I found the End Plates of the Pressure Vessel are not DISHED ENDED but had Flat sides.
One look at the tank under Pneumatic Pressure and straight away I rejected the tank Mr. I.R.S.wanted my reasons for my remarks. As per norms, any pressure vessel must have’ Dished ends’ while this tank has normal flat end sides which were subjected to stresses already and hence not acceptable.
On another occasion I made a joint inspection of new Main Bearings and Big-End Bearings for Main Engine Assembly of yard no 1130.
This Engine was subjected to Trial Runs in Engine Builder’s Yard under Surveyers’ inspection, then dismantled and crated to HSL.
I looke at the bearings and found that the White metal lining in the shells were discoloured instead of being pure white in colour.I asked for a chip of metal taken out for analysis and asked for the Lub. Oil Used during trials in their yard for analysis.Mr.Majumdar S.C.I.Rep. and I.R.S.Surveyer Mr. C. Sreeram Murthy agreed with me stating the bearing should nt Dis-Coloured like this.
Our Design Section Manager Mr.B.Rama Murthy cabled for Sulzer’s Rep. Mr. R.L.Jain the Sulzer’s Rep.Based at Pune dropped in and of course we renewed our contacts again. He was the Engr Superintedent for the Greek Vessel ‘Roula E.K.’ in Calcutta when
I attended on her repairs. S.C.I. Reps, ,I.R.S., Our design Office arrived at some compromise with the Sulzer’s Rep. and the problem was sorted out.
H.S.L.Outfi. dept. normally boxes up manhole doors in the new construction vessels and I found that they were using Rubber Insertion joints for even oil tanks man-hole doors covers. I objected saying that these will perish in service and that they should use either thick Cardboard joints or Neoprene Rubber sheets which have non-perishable quality.
One day after my lunch while passing from Officers Canteen through Blacksmith shop I found a number of Bulk-head sleeves to pass the Electric cable through the bulkheads ready for dispatch to the yard Electrical department and when I just ran my finger through the sleeves I found my finger got a severe cut. I rejected the whole lot and insisted that the sharp edges be ground smooth and offered to me for inspection since in the present condition the Elec.cables will get damaged while they pass through these sleeves.
Yard was building 4-nos ‘Off-Shore-Petrol Vessels’ for Indian Navy and the First vessel was already having her Sea Trials. Trials failed due to some failure during her Sprint Test.
From the next vessel on-wards I was associated in the Joint inspections along with Classification Surveyors.
During the weekly review meetings on the progress on O.P.V.s All the departmental heads were represented by either Managers or their Dy.Managers, Dy.General Manager (Production) Mr.C.Gopal Rao, Dy.General Manager O.& E (Outfitting and Engineering) Mr.Laksminarayana, and myself as Dy.Manager representing Q.C.Cell used to attend and chaired by C.&M.D.Rear Admiral Bhindra.
In one of the meetings a tentative date for sea trials of the 2nd
O.P.V.vessel was indicated by Dy.G.M.O&E for a day One Week hence. C&M.D.asked for my confirmation and I expressed my doubts about date. Then Dy.GM O&E remarked that I am only a repair man and my views need not be considered. Stung to the core by that remark in presence of C&MD, I retorted asking him whether a Rubber Expansion Bellow is meant to absorb vibrations or Mis- alignment also. Dy.GM O&E commented ‘FOR BOTH’. I then suggested to him not to express his ignorance and to let his expert Mr. Veeranjaneyulu ‘Manager Engineeing’ to comment. Manager Engineering said that the Rubber Expansion Bellows are meant only to absorb Vibrations and’ NOT MIS-ALIGNMENTS’. I then commented that all the pipe lines as well as the Main Engine Exhaust Trunking were conntected to Main Engine in Mis-alignment by forcing bellows by the plumbing dept. ‘The PARENT DEPT .of DyGM O&E. I further added that this must have been THE CAUSE FOR FAILURE OF SPRINT TESTS OF EARLIER O.P.V.
C&MD was furious on Dy.G.M.O&E and advised him to fix another date for trials in consultation with Q.C. and that was ME.
Dy.G.M.O&E since then started pleading with me not to expose him further in the meetings before every meeting and that too in the. Presence of Dy.G.M.(P) Mr. C.Gopal Rao.
During the construction of Yard No.1131, when S.C.I . complained that in other earlier vessels when they were fully loaded, and in the high seas they found water ingress in to the steering compartments. So the Drawing Office modified the Steering flat by introducing a gland and gland packing in the Transome space. As Q.C. I objected to the modification and wanted D.O to install a sounding rod arrangement & a handpump arrangement also in transome space along with the gland arrangement since the space will become a Water tight Void space and such sounding and pumping arrangements are mandatory as per Regulations.
After serving for FOUR YEARS in the Quality Control Cell, of H.S.L. I requested for a Voluntary retirement at my 59th year of age nearly 1 ½ years prior to my superannuation..
So I retired from my H.S.L.Service on 31-5-1992.after serving for nearly 19 ½ years in H.S.L..
Chapter V.
MY POST- RETIREMENT CONSULTANCY SERVICE.
( My Service with M/s. S.K.Chakraborty & Co)
I was immediately offered a job as Dy.General Manager in S.K.Chakraborty & Co.Ltd a major Private Ship Repair firm in Visakhapatnam on 1stJune,1992.
During my tenure here I used to attend ship repairs in H.S.L.Dry-ock as an Ancillary Industry to H.S.L.
Mr. Sapan Chakraborty the Proprietor of the firm used to hire people from Calcutta for his major steel works and for Derrick/Crane Testing jobs and I attended a number of such testing jobs in H.S.L.
During this time, Mr. P.K.Dutta an Ex.Chief Engineer from Merchant Navy joined as another Dy.General Manager,besides one Mr.Lahiri Rtd.Officer fom V.P.T joined as other Dy.G.M.s. When I joined Sk.C.& Co. There was one Mr.Vadapalli Ex..Engineer Suptd.From S.C.I.Head Office,Bombay who joined as General Manager and Shortly after I joined Sk.C.& Co. Mr.Vadapalli resigned and Mr.A.K.Ghose Ex.Union Carbide joined as G.M.
I suggested to Mr.Chakraborty to get the firm registered with Naval Dockyard (V) as an ancillary unit and get ship repairs directly.
I was assigned to get the registration.
I requested for an interview with the ASD (V)
( Admiral Suptdt.,Vizag) and when I walked into Rear Admiral Narayana Rao’s( the ASD(V)’s ) Chamber, I was accorded a very rare reception as ASD (V) himself came to the door to receive me & . I was mentioned that while he was a Commander ,he used to attend the progress review meetings on Naval submarines in H.S.L.Dry-dock where-in he had interacted with me and he called all his departmental heads to his chamber and introduced me and suggested that M/s.S.K.Chakraborty & Co which I now represent may be registered as an alternate firm for their shiprepair jobs. So, S.K.C.was registered accordingly.
Forthwith, .I took Mr.Sapan Chakraborty to meet the ASD(V)on the next day for a formal introduction. We did a number of naval vessels in the Fishing Harbour berths and the Dry-dock there.
During July 1993, While attending to job of Renewals of Longitudinal Beams in Wing Cargo Tanks ,Port & Stbd.sides of a Merchant Bulk Carrier Vessel and since the job could not be completed in time before her sailing to Madras port. So, we loaded all the balance materials on board and I was flown to Madras port to complete the balance works at Madras port. We took the assistance from M/s.’Chidambaram Ship Care’ in that port. I was again flown back to Vizag just in time for my ‘Sashstipurti Function’ to do puja rituals on completion of my ’60 yrs.’of age.
I left M/s.Sk.Chakraborty & Co. in Dec,1993 and joined ‘M/s.Bharat Steel Fabricators’ an other H.S.L.Ancillary unit of H.S.L. as in charge of Shiprepair wing. I submitted a quotation for the Total Dry-docking repairs of ‘I.N.S.Prachand’ a Naval Missile Boat as an Ancillary of H.S.L.We did the overhauling of all the seavalves, renewed about 40% shell plate renewals, about 35% Bottom Tank Top plating renewals, unshipped Twin Scew Propeller shafts for inspection, Unshipped Stbd.Rudder and stock for renewal of bearings to the satisfaction of the Commander in charge of Warship Overseeing Team cell in H.S.L.
In November 1994, I joined as ‘ Ship Repair Consultant in the Branch unit Of M/s.H.M.G.Engineeing Co. with its Head Quarters at Bombay. Their Local Manager was Mr. P.Ravindranath .This branch was also registered as an ancillary unit of H.S.L apart from their direct registration with N.D.(V) as their sub-contractors for various repairs.
H.M.G.was repairing a naval vessel I.N.S.Meen directly.
HMG collected a G.S.Pump( a B.E.Make pump with an Air Extraction Unit as its integral unit) from vessel for repairs and could not successfully completed its repairs since it was not building up sufficient Vacuum even after repeated trials . .
After I joined the firm I once again thoroughly stripped the pump, Bored barrelled Piston Valve Chamber of the Air Unit, made a new C.I.Piston Valve, Machined the long Pump Shaft on double centers, re-assembled the pump and during trials the pump built up a very good vacuum as good as it was in its new condition. Cdr.Ramesh incharge of repairs complemented H.M.G. for the the very successful repair of the pump.
‘USHA FERRO- ALLOYS Co.’ opposite to B.H.P.V.Works in Vizag called H.M.G to repair their Blower Motor Unit as the Motor Foundation Bolts were breaking off frequently. I got the blower trunking disconnected from blower unit and found that the trunking was
mis- aligned but forcibly connected to blower unit. I suggested them to make correction in the trunking to be in correct line of the blower unit and then got new foundation bolts fitted. Job was found satisfactory.
I worked in H.M.G. Engineering works Vizag Unit for nearly 3 yrs till mid .2000..
During my resting period in mid 2000 year, I was requested by Mr.Madhusudhan Rao Proprietor of M/s. Stru-Fabs an ancillary of H.S.L.as well as N.D.(V) to join him to undertake repairs on Naval Tug ‘I.N.S.ANGAD’.
I joined them as’ Ship Repair Consultant’. The vessel wss docked in V.P.T..Fishing Harbour Dry-dock.I.R.S.Classification Surveyor
Mr.C Sreeerama Murty was the Surveyor. During the survey we found that about 90% of steel Hull plating including the frames, Engine Bed
Foundation stool were recommended for renewal. I sought the assistance f my Ex -.collegue from shipyard erection dept Mr.M.V.R.Dikshitulu for the renewal of steel jobs.
We further found that the Propellor shaft when withdrawn was badly necked in a deep groove and the surveyor did not building up by elec.welding but recommended for renewal of shaft. I got the propeller
Bore checked and got a cage template for shaft taper and the propeller bore and after making a working drawing of the shaft ordered a new shaft from Calcutta Firm.Stern tube G.M.bush was also renewed.Kort Nozzle was deeply pitted and on surveyor’s Recommendation filled up the pitted surface with Devcon compound.
After re-installing the Main engine on its new bed plate, I was advised by N.D.V. to fit a new Turbo-Charger for the main engine.
To my constern, I found that the new turbo charger does not suit this engine since it was meant for a TWO Stroke Engine..
So, I checked the range of Exhaust temperatures of this typ of engines from her sister tugs in N.D.V. and selected .EN-316 as a suitable alloy steel. Mr. C.SreeramaMurty I.R.S.Surveyor had helped me to select thjis material and I am grateful for his tips.
I got the engine erected in the work shop, and cropped the existing length of exhaust pipes, erected the new turbo charger, and after making necessary drawings,cast,machined and fitted a new EN.316 distance chamber to receive the exhaust gases from the FOUR Stroke engine having 4- exhaust inlets leadig engine exhaust into the receiver chamber and having 2- exhaust outlets from receiver to the new turbocharger.
We did the entire electrical system renewal. But noticed that the Rudder was not in its vertical positon due to excessive wear in the guide bush bearing. But N.D.V. devclined to extend time suggested that NDV will attend to the repair later.
Tug ‘ANGAD’ was successfully tried out.
The G.M.R.of N.D.V. called and personally complemented me for giving
a fresh lease of service to the tug which was due for De-Commissioning.
I now wanted to relax. But Sri.K.V.S.Rao now retired as General Manager 9Tech.) from Dredging Corporation was engaged as a Consultant Superintendent for a GujaratCo.which purchased a Suction Dredger S.D.’VARAHA’ from Visakhapatnam Port Trust which was undergoing repairs in Port O.R.S.Workshop Jetty.The owners wanted to renew the Pedestal Stools and their base plates for the hydraulic rams operating the Hopper Bottom Doors.
This was basically a Dry-dock job but owners wanted to do this in Afloat condition to minimize the dry-docking time. So they contacted local private firms who declined to take up the job.
Mr. K.V.S.Rao called me to try the job. I engaged local firm M/s. Sriram Engineering the firm owned by Mr.P.Ravindranath Ex-Manager, H.M.G.Engineering Co. which woundup their outfit in Visakhapatnam.
We successfully completed the job andsoon after my health failed and I had to be hospitalized for my Bye-Pass Surgery.
Now because of my failing health I really hung my Boots for good,
Presently I am slowly recovering my health.
During one of my hospitalizatoin periods soon I was discharged , TheVisakhapatnam branch Chairman of our Marine Engineers Assn .
Mr. A.K.Ghose and the Hony. Secretary Mr. K.V.S.Rao graced my house and presented me with a CITATION and a MEDALLION honouring me as’ ONE of THE FOUR Eminent Marine Engineers’ and a photograph was taken which was published in the January 2006 Silver Jubilee edition of our M.E.R.(I)
I thank the Association for this RARE HONOUR to me..
I thank my readers for the patient Reading they had .given to my blog and hope that some of my experiences could be informative to them.
