Abstract
The maritime industry underpins global trade, with vessels serving as essential links in the supply chain. In South Africa, Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) workshops that focus on valves and pumps are pivotal in ensuring the operational safety and efficiency of maritime vessels. This research assesses the alignment of Lean maintenance practices within a South African MRO workshop specialized in maritime valves and pumps, focusing on the extent of Lean implementation, its challenges, and impact on productivity and cost-efficiency. Lean maintenance practices, designed to minimize waste and optimize resource use, are increasingly recognized for enhancing MRO operations, yet their integration in South African maritime settings is limited and faces unique obstacles.
Through a mixed-method approach, combining surveys, and observations, this study evaluates the current maintenance practices, predominantly corrective and reactive, within the workshop. Findings reveal that key Lean maintenance elements such as 5S, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and Kaizen are largely absent, with only limited implementation of safety audits and root-cause analysis. The study highlights cultural and resource-related challenges, emphasizing that the workshop prioritised addressing immediate problems rather than adopting proactive, preventative maintenance practices. This misalignment with Lean principles has led to inefficiencies and increased operational costs.
The research underscores the need for a strategic shift toward Lean maintenance, emphasizing the importance of cultural change, structured training, and resource allocation to facilitate Lean adoption. Recommendations include the gradual introduction of TPM, predictive maintenance, and continuous improvement initiatives. These steps could significantly enhance the workshop’s efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The insights from this study provide a foundation for Lean-oriented maintenance frameworks in South African MRO workshops and contribute to the global maritime industry’s best practices.