or, to even make things simpler,

 

 

instead the drills (red),

 

a very long wall, larger than half of the surface of the ship,

its edge below is a long spiral digging mechanism,

that goes beneath the ship just like the drill.

 

then fuse together with the other wall,

with a machine that follows

a track from the surface of this wall.

 

would be tricky *as the spiral drill itself

would become part of that fuse.

 

but lesser parts to work with. faster time.