Legend of the Seas was built in 1995 and was the most travelled cruise liner in the Royal Caribbean fleet before she was transferred to another cruise line in mid-2017. Before that transfer, however, a casualty on main engine #5 resulted in significant damage to one of the crankpins. Due to the depth of the crack in the crankpin, the crankshaft could not be salvaged by machining and would require replacement.
Large crankshaft replacements are a routine job for Goltens and having completed a successful crankshaft replacement on engine #1 in 2013; Goltens Singapore was engaged to inspect the engine in New Zealand and was awarded the contract for the crankshaft renewal.
Crankshaft replacement and rebuild
Preparations were made the week before the vessel arrived at the Singapore Cruise Centre. Detailed planning involving work schedule, lifting/rigging methodology, work and safety procedures as well as backup planning were all completed.
Goltens technicians joined the vessel in Singapore and completed the dismantling of the engine on a voyage to Navantia, Spain where the vessel was to dry-dock. The job was complicated by the limited space to store the dismantled components and rig the crankshafts. Goltens completed the replacement and rebuild of the engine to the maker’s specifications in dry-dock.
Repair results
Once the engine was rebuilt, Goltens laser aligned the engine and the generator and flushed the lube oil system to clear any debris. The prescribed running procedures and operational testing were accomplished on the voyage after the dry-dock. Lastly, load testing of the repaired engine was completed to the customer’s satisfaction.