A dry dock is a narrow vessel or space that is flooded to allow a marine craft to be floated into position and then drained of water to allow the vessel to come to rest. This allows access all over the marine craft for construction or repairs and maintenance. Due to the differing sizes and shapes of marine vessels, access to the dry dock and onto the marine craft is often a challenge. This is compounded when access to the vessel in the dock is required to be achieved from a floating pontoon or structure beside the dry dock, which is affected by tidal movements.

All these variables mean that often, the access into the dock needs to be designed so as to be adjustable or configurable to suit different heights.

To accommodate this, SafeSmart has designed a series of different structures to enable safe and effective dry dock access. These include.

• Height adjustable stair systems
• Gangways in conjunction with stair systems
• Hanging stairs
• Off-the-shelf product solutions such as the UltraRaise

Our Marine dock systems were originally designed and built for a maintenance facility for the iconic Sydney Harbour ferries in Australia; the client needed to reduce time spent setting up on-foot height access to the dry dock and to better protect workers from falls.

Eliminating the need for time-consuming scaffolding installation, our marine dock systems are easily craned in seconds, secured and deployed for use immediately.

It is made from high tensile marine grade aluminium and compliant with AS1657.

SafeSmart Access can design and manufacture any work platform, stair set, or anything else of any shape or size for safe access to any maritime craft.

Usage Scenarios

• Construction: The Custom Dry Dock Access System enables shipbuilders to safely reach all areas of a new vessel during the construction phase, adapting to various work heights as needed.
• Repair Work: For vessels requiring dry dock repairs, the system offers adjustable access points that align with the specific areas under maintenance, regardless of tidal changes.
• Maintenance Checks: Routine checks and services are made more efficient with stair systems and gangways that adjust to the vessel’s resting height in the dry dock.
• Emergency Repairs: In urgent scenarios where reliable access is paramount, SafeSmart’s solutions can be swiftly employed to facilitate fast and secure entry for repair crews.

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