As our conservation work on Glenlee continues, we’re diving deeper—literally and figuratively—into the ship’s internal structure to ensure her long-term resilience.
Following ultrasonic thickness checks, several sections of steel within the vertical floors were found to have less than 70% of their original thickness. These compromised areas were carefully removed, and new inserts are being welded into place to restore strength and stability.
The team has been focusing on the area between frames 87 and 93, where steelwork replacement is ongoing, and has now expanded into frames 52 to 57, addressing repairs to the side keelson as well.
A major step in the process has been shotblasting—an essential method to strip away paint and corrosion, exposing any hidden defects. This has allowed us to identify and cut out additional weakened sections, ensuring no issue goes unseen.
Each new weld and insert brings us closer to securing Glenlee’s future. This stage of the project highlights the importance of detail-oriented conservation and the unseen labour that keeps a historic ship like Glenlee seaworthy—if not literally, then in spirit.