The Captain Cook Graving Dock (CCGD) at Garden Island in Sydney is one of the largest ship repair and maintenance facilities in the Southern Hemisphere and a vital strategic asset for the Australian Defence Force.
AVK embarked on a challenging journey to deliver the best possible valve solution for the Australian Defence Force. Thales Australia secured the contract with the Australian Defence Force to provide two custom DN1800 Metal Seated Gate valves for the Garden Island Dry Dock in Sydney Harbour. AVK Australia partnered with Thales to manufacture these specialised valves, which required a unique casting material – D2 Ni-Resist Ductile Iron, containing 20% nickel; a composition stronger than most exotic steels.
This was essential as the valves needed to endure submersion in seawater for a lifespan of 50-80 years.
Throughout this lengthy and complex process, AVK and Thales held weekly meetings, working together with transparency and cooperation to find solutions to each new challenge.
This dedication and commitment from the AVK project team kept the project on track and ensured the success of the project.
Installation
The graving dock spans an impressive 350 meters in length and 45 meters in width, with a reservoir capacity of 230 million litres. This immense size underscores the enormous pressure the valves are subjected to during the flooding and draining process, which can cause access difficulties. Additionally, the age of the valves—some of the primary flooding valves had been in operation for over 75 years; which made their removal and replacement a significant challenge.
The removal and replacement of 'Valve 10' were successfully completed over two days, with a team of 20 professionals collaborating to ensure the task was carried out safely, efficiently and to AVK Operating and Installation instructions.
