First floating of our "Berlin Express"

Large ships are often built in dry docks or floating docks, which are flooded at the end of the construction period until the ship floats. The launching of the “Berlin Express” was carried out in the largest floating dock of Korea.

How does a launch like this work?
First, the floating dock is lowered by filling the ballast tanks at the bottom of the dock with seawater. This allows the water to enter the dock directly. With this system, a ship can be launched much faster than in a dry dock. It takes about 2 hours, which is about 30% of the time needed for launching in dry dock.

This is how the floating of the "Berlin Express" went:

• 7:00 a.m.: Filling the ballast tanks of the floating dock.
• 7:30 a.m.: Water flows directly into the dock
• 8:30 a.m.: Water level in the dock reaches a maximum of 5.0 meters at the bow
• 9:00 a.m.: Water level reaches 5.60 meters at the stern - the ship begins to float - ready to leave the dock. It is then pulled in by three tugboats and with the help of two other boats and taken to berth D1 in DSME
• 12:00: Floating up and mooring completed.

After floating up, the construction of the vessel continues. Many of the structures, interior fittings and mechanical and electrical systems, such as LNG, fuel, radar and communication systems, are being completed and further integrated by the shipyard.