Repairing holes in a ship crane in Turkey in 7 days.

Imagine: a ship stuck in port, loading operations paralyzed, a crane folded, and each day of stoppage is thousands of euros in losses.
We left Krakow for Istanbul by car (more than 4,000 km round trip) to restore the Liebherr crane to operation. And we knew from the first hours – this would be one of the most difficult jobs we have undertaken.

⚠️ The problem:

Due to worn holes, the pins fell out and the crane arm folded.
Without immediate repair, the ship could not go to sea.
There was a lack of specialists on site who could fix the problem.

🔧 Our solution:

📐 We took surveying measurements with a total station to perfectly align the axes.
🔥 We heated the ears to 100°C so that the surfacing would be even – with an air temperature of only +5°C, this was a major challenge.
💡 We aligned the shaft with telescopes, surfaced the material with temperature control to avoid defects.
⚙️ Final reaming to the original diameter restored full functionality.

⛓ Conditions were as difficult as possible:

💨 Strong, cold wind from the sea, working 30 meters above the water
🧱 The entire ship was surrounded by scaffolding – we had to pass up and down many times
🔥 In order to make perfect welds for ultrasonic inspection (UT), we shielded ourselves with fireproof materials, creating protective zones by hand
🛃 Delays at the border due to equipment, tense negotiations with the port and technical supervision
🧍 ‍♂ Workers accidentally upset the centering of the shaft several times, stepping on it

⏱ Pressure from all sides

The ordering party urged us every day.
In the end, he was grateful – because we did something that others did not undertake.
Although with the payment began “classic difficulties”, we do not regret: we did our work at 💯.

💬 Our approach:

We do not work for “quick profit”. We build a reputation and do not leave orders in the middle.
If help is needed – we are ready to work 24/7, on holidays, in the cold, at altitude – but such work should be properly appreciated.
Professionalism is not just hands and tools. It is a readiness to defend the result even when it is difficult.