Background 

Downer Professional Services (DPS) has assisted the Navy to keep critical fleet elements in service by reducing risk of flexible hose failure. 

Hydrographic SPO (HSPO) is responsible for the sustainment and through life support of the Royal Australian Naby’s Leeuwin and Paluma Class (as well as ARMY Watercraft) and was required to resolve multiple issues related to the management of certified items including approximately 2500 flexible hoses and 220 rubber bellows.  

An Indicator of Risk (IOR) on this item was required to be resolved. 

The remediation activity brought the framework of former certified items management as well as the underlying logistics artefacts and Objective Quality Evidence (OQE) into compliance with the Defence Seaworthiness Management System and other relevant regulatory publications. 

What we did 

Downer Professional Services (DPS) was engaged to develop a scope of work focussing on required outcomes with multiple engineering companies who had related experience. 

Consultation with the client continued in the background for clarification of the scope and solutions: the client reviewed the options and selected the solution that demonstrated value for money while achieving the outcomes. 

The remediation project was a turnkey solution, which included technical materiel inspection and replacement, technical administration in the form of Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) modification and data entry. 

The Navy has additional certified items collections requiring remediation and will consider DPS for these projects. 

Results 

A failed flexible hose can lead to fire, contamination of environmental impact, or mechanical system failure such as steering.

The Navy benefitted from reduced technical risk as their flexible hoses are now at the required condition rather than unknown and there is an appropriate system in place to replace hoses due to damage or breakdown due to aging, reducing the risk of a flexible hose failing.