World’s First Cat® 3516E Engine Overhaul Delivered by WesTrac and Rivtow Marine

A world-first Cat 3516E engine overhaul has been successfully completed in Port Hedland, Western Australia, with WesTrac and Rivtow Marine partnering to deliver the milestone project ahead of schedule.

More than a significant maintenance milestone, the project helped minimise vessel downtime while demonstrating the strength of a long-standing customer relationship.

Completed on a Rivtow Marine tug operating in the world’s largest bulk export harbour, the overhaul combined the complexity of a first-of-its-kind project with the demands of a busy marine environment.

For Rivtow, supporting towage operations in Port Hedland mean its vessels can accumulate between 3,000 and 5,000 operating hours each year, making the fleet a true test of engine performance and reliability.

With no previous overhaul of its kind to draw upon, the project required extensive preparation, technical expertise and coordination between WesTrac, Rivtow and Caterpillar®.

WesTrac Port Hedland Supervisors Phil Samiotis and Anthony Ytting said the significance of the project was clear from the outset.

“The scope of work on this particular engine shutdown was a new experience for all involved. It’s the first top-end overhaul on a 3516E in the world,” they said.

“As you can imagine, there were a lot of moving parts to organise. From the customer to Caterpillar to our internal teams, there was significant planning and collaboration to ensure nothing was missed.”

Long before the vessel entered shutdown, WesTrac’s Field Service team worked closely with Rivtow to organise resources, secure parts and plan every stage of the project. 

Senior Technical Superintendent at Rivtow, Michael Barrett, said WesTrac’s track record and long-standing relationship with Rivtow gave the business confidence heading into such a significant project. 

“The Port Hedland WesTrac team do an excellent job in early preparation and project management,” he said.

“There was a lot of interest in this project and we can certainly say the WesTrac Port Hedland and Perth teams were the right partners for the job.”

The project presented challenges beyond simply being the first of its kind. As a relatively new engine to the market, parts availability was more limited than for established models, with careful planning and coordination required throughout the overhaul.

To keep the project on track, WesTrac assembled a dedicated team of field service technicians, supervisors, planners and support personnel, backed by Caterpillar specialists and warehouse teams. The shutdown also provided valuable development opportunities for apprentices working alongside experienced marine technicians. 

Lead Technician David Gorman said maintaining strong communication and planning ahead played a key role in the team’s success.

“We focused on looking several days ahead to try and avoid hold-ups,” he said.

“That forward planning helped us maintain momentum throughout the shutdown.”

For Rivtow, one of the standout aspects of the project was the way the WesTrac team planned and coordinated the shutdown from start to finish.

“The WesTrac management team and site-based supervisors did an excellent job allocating manpower to support precise project planning and meet the downtime schedule,” Michael said.

That preparation and coordination helped deliver an overhaul completed safely, efficiently and ahead of schedule.

Originally planned as a 14-day shutdown, the overhaul was completed in just 10 days, allowing the vessel to return to service sooner than expected. In a busy towing operation, every extra day of vessel availability makes a difference.

“The scheduled project forecast is critical when we remove a vessel from towage operations as this places additional pressure on the towage fleet,” Michael said.

“The WesTrac team understand this dynamic, therefore the on-site project manager and leading hands always aim to deliver practical completion on or around the 10-day period, out of the 14-day schedule.”

Safety, quality and teamwork remained a focus throughout the project. Working across day and night shifts, the team kept the overhaul moving while ensuring high standards were maintained every step of the way.

Looking back on the project, Michael said the professionalism and support provided by the on-site team left a lasting impression.

“On-site supervision and management support was a standout for us,” he said.

“The on-site tradesmen and apprentices work diligently and appear to be very proud of their work to meet a successful outcome.”

Following successful commissioning and sea trials, the vessel returned to service ahead of schedule, marking the completion of a project that will help inform future overhauls of its kind around the world.

Reflecting on the outcome, Michael praised the collective effort behind the milestone.

“All in all, the Port Hedland WesTrac team, from management down to the apprentices, did a great job.”

The successful completion of the world’s first Cat 3516E top-end overhaul marks an important milestone for both WesTrac and Rivtow, highlighting the capability, expertise and partnership required to support customers operating in some of the world’s most demanding environments.  

More importantly, it demonstrates what can be achieved when skilled people, careful planning and a strong customer partnership come together to deliver a world-first result.