Launch of Investigator
Location: Sembawang Shipyard, Singapore
Equipment used: 12 x 600t skid shoes, 12 x 12" hydraulic submersible ballast pumps
7
September 2013

The new Australian Oceanographic research ship "Investigator", under construction in Singapore, required a special launching technique due to the fragile sonar gondola fitted under the hull of the vessel. Sarens used 12 units 600t hydraulic skid shoes to skid the 4.500t ship onto a barge that was ballasted using 12 units 1.000m³/hr hydraulic submersible ballast pumps. The barge loaded with the ship was brought into a drydock which was then flooded. After completely filling the barge with water it was very carefully floated and thus launched.