A makeshift patch, designed to get the 53,000 tonne Maersk Dabou container vessel back in service last month, won a Dunedin company the rights to make permanent repairs on the vessel at the weekend.
The starboard side of Maersk Dabou was damaged when the engines failed while it was docking at Beach St wharf in Port Chalmers on May 19.
Action Engineering Ltd managing director Mark Cameron said his company put a temporary patch over the 5m hole in the vessel, and the ship's owner, Oltmann Line, was so impressed it decided permanent repairs should be done by the firm in Port Chalmers.
"There were no materials in New Zealand at the time to repair the ship so we patched it up to get it back into service. The owners decided that because of the service we provided, we would be the perfect candidate to undertake the repair."
Repairs were usually completed by specialists in Singapore, he said.
"A ship repair of this type doesn't normally get done in Dunedin. Damaged vessels here are very rare."
A team of marine engineers, co-ordinated by Mr Cameron, have worked around the clock since last Friday, removing the patch, repairing the inside of the hull, and welding new exterior plates.
Five specially qualified welders from Auckland and one from Germany were called in to weld the plates. Mr Cameron said welding was expected to be completed yesterday. The ship is expected to depart today.
