Race to repair ships after storm No. 13: Overloaded workshop, ship owner anxiously waiting for the day to go to sea

bão số 13 - Ảnh 1. — Ships damaged by storm No. 13 line up for repairs - Photo: MINH CHIEN

These days, at the boat repair facility of Mr. Tran Van Tung (37 years old, Xuan Tho commune, Dak Lak ), the atmosphere is always bustling with the sound of drilling machines and workers calling each other continuously when a series of fishing boats damaged by big waves after storm No. 13 (Kalmaegi storm) are brought to the yard for urgent repair.

The ship needed too much repair, some had to be rejected.

Mr. Tung said the number of ships coming in for repair increased three to four times compared to normal, and workers had to work overtime to hand over the ships to fishermen so they could return to sea as soon as possible. The number of ships waiting for repair was so great that Mr. Tung had to line up many of them outside the workshop.

"We have just built new ships and repaired old ships that were damaged by storms, so we are overloaded. Each time we repair only 10 ships or less, depending on the level of damage, it takes at least 3 days, at the slowest it takes nearly 2 weeks. But the number of ships that need to be repaired is large, so I have to refuse some customers or reschedule the repair," said Mr. Tung.

According to Tuoi Tre Online on the afternoon of November 14, the ships had many holes in their hulls, some had their bows broken, some had their cabins broken... all were propped up high with iron barrels or coconut tree trunks for easy repair.

Mr. Tung said that before repairing, he had to inspect and assess the damage level of the ship, many ships were rejected because of too much damage. Currently, he has increased the number of workers to nearly 20, each person is paid by the day.

bão số 13 - Ảnh 2. — A ship owner is distraught next to a composite hulled ship with a large hole - Photo: MINH CHIEN

bão số 13 - Ảnh 3. — A ship was so badly damaged that the shipyard refused to repair it - Photo: MINH CHIEN

bão số 13 - Ảnh 4. — Many ship owners are lucky when the most valuable part of the ship, the bronze propeller, is still intact - Photo: MINH CHIEN

Chạy đua sửa tàu sau bão số 13: Xưởng quá tải, chủ tàu thấp thỏm chờ ngày ra biển - Ảnh 5. — The ship repair workshop is overloaded, so many ships have to be placed outside near the road - Photo: MINH CHIEN

bão số 13 - Ảnh 6. — Ships are placed on barrels and coconut trees for easy repair - Photo: MINH CHIEN

Taking the thin composite panels and using glue to fix them onto the ship's body, Nguyen Ngoc Duy (17 years old, resident of Xuan Tho commune) said he has been working as a ship repairman for 4 years.

To repair a composite boat, according to Mr. Duy, it is necessary to determine the damaged area, clean and sand the surface. Then cut and glue the composite fiberglass layers with specialized glue to make them tight and strong. When dry, the repaired part will be polished to be smooth and covered with colored paint.

"These days, we have been working hard from morning to night, taking advantage of the sunny days to repair the ship and deliver it to customers. Seeing people worried because the ship was broken, I was also anxious, so everyone tried their best," said Duy.

Chạy đua sửa tàu sau bão số 13: Xưởng quá tải, chủ tàu thấp thỏm chờ ngày ra biển - Ảnh 7. — Vung Chao, Song Cau ward - where many ships were damaged by storm No. 13 - Photo: MINH CHIEN

bão số 13 - Ảnh 8. — Ships and boats were lifted by cranes for repair - Photo: MINH CHIEN

Chạy đua sửa tàu sau bão số 13: Xưởng quá tải, chủ tàu thấp thỏm chờ ngày ra biển - Ảnh 9. — Ships are transported to repair shops by trucks, the cost of transportation and cranes ranges from 5 to 10 million VND depending on the length and weight of the ship - Photo: MINH CHIEN

"I asked to hitch a ride on the neighbor's train, but it was inconvenient."

Struggling next to a ship with many large holes, Mr. Tran Thanh Ca (35 years old, resident of Song Cau ward) said that during storm No. 13, one of his ships sank, one was damaged, and had to be towed to the workshop for repair.

"My ship was anchored in Vung Chao, but unexpectedly it was wrecked by the waves. To bring the ship here for repair, I had to spend nearly 7 million VND, from pumping water to float the ship, using a boat to tow it in, and then using a crane to bring it here," said Mr. Ca.

According to Mr. Ca, he built this ship 3 years ago, used to transport shrimp feed, visit cages... The ship is 11 meters long.

"My boat was quoted a repair price of 50-60 million. Every day I come here to watch the ship repairmen, urging them to fix it soon. Because I don't have a boat right now, I have to borrow a neighbor's boat, which is very inconvenient, while I have to regularly go to the cages to feed the lobsters and look after the cages," said Mr. Ca.

Ms. Phan Thi Xi (Song Cau ward) said that because the ship sank, she decided to build a new 8m long ship for 150 million and will deliver it in December.

"Boats are the main means of transport at sea, very necessary. Currently we have to ask to hitch a ride on our neighbors' boats. The rafts have broken down, the fish and shrimp are outside the cages without a boat, which is extremely inconvenient," said Ms. Xi.