Operational Guide · Registers & Logbooks

# Dry Dock Entry Planning

A poorly planned dry dock entry costs far more in ship downtime than it would have cost in preparation: the repair specification and shipyard coordination start months in advance, not at departure.

dry dock planning repair specification survey

## Operational Explanation

Entering a dry dock is an event planned well in advance (typically 6-12 months ahead), combining mandatory survey requirements (Class and statutory) with extraordinary maintenance work that cannot be carried out afloat. Poor planning almost always translates into a prolonged docking period, with significant direct costs (dock hire) and indirect costs (lost commercial earnings).

The repair specification is the central document: it must be detailed enough to allow the shipyard to correctly quote and organize resources, while remaining flexible enough to handle the additional (extra) work that almost always emerges during the in-dock inspection.

## Regulatory Reference

There is no single convention dedicated to dry dock planning, but the entry must satisfy the requirements of SOLAS Chapter I, Regulation 10 (periodical inspections of the ship's bottom) and the survey requirements of the applicable Classification Society (Special/Renewal Survey, Intermediate Survey, according to the five-year cycle).

## Scope of Application

Every ship subject to periodic survey requiring inspection of the bottom and of equipment not accessible while afloat (propellers, rudder, sea chests, cooling systems).

## Procedure / How to Complete It

1. Draft the repair specification well in advance, including mandatory survey requirements and planned maintenance work.
2. Request quotes from multiple shipyards, verifying dock availability within the required time window.
3. Coordinate with the Classification Society the surveyor's presence for surveys to be conducted in dock.
4. Plan the sequence of work to minimize total time in dock, identifying work on the critical path.
5. Allow a contingency margin for additional work that typically emerges during the in-dock inspection (e.g. unforeseen corrosion).

## Practical Example

Example of planning: repair specification drafted 8 months before dry dock entry, including the Class special survey, sacrificial anode replacement, rudder and sea chest overhaul, with a 15% budget contingency for unforeseen additional work.

## Real Cases

Significant prolongations of docking time, with substantial economic impact, are frequently traced to an incomplete or overly generic repair specification, which forces scope and cost to be renegotiated with the shipyard already during the work, when the owner's bargaining power is greatly reduced.

## Common Mistakes Mistake Library

Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it
--- | --- | ---
Repair specification drafted too late or too generically | Difficulty obtaining comparable quotes and risk of underestimating time | Draft the specification well in advance and in as much detail as possible
No contingency margin for unforeseen additional work | Prolonged docking time with unplanned cost impact | Always allow a contingency margin in time and budget
Coordination with the Classification Society started only close to dry dock entry | Risk of surveyor unavailability within the required window | Coordinate the surveyor's presence well in advance, in parallel with shipyard planning

## PSC Observations

Dry dock planning is not subject to direct PSC verification, but its quality is indirectly reflected in the validity of certificates and the presence of up-to-date surveys verifiable at subsequent inspections.

## Operational Tips

- Start dry dock planning at least 6-12 months before the expected window, never reduce this margin to save apparent time.
- Always allow a time and budget contingency for additional work: it almost always emerges.
- Coordinate the Class surveyor's presence in parallel with shipyard planning, not afterwards.

## Checklist

- Repair specification drafted well in advance and in the necessary detail
- Quotes requested from multiple shipyards with verified availability
- Class surveyor's presence coordinated in advance
- Sequence of work planned to minimize the critical path
- Contingency margin allowed for additional work

## FAQ

How far in advance should a dry dock entry be planned?
Typically 6-12 months ahead, to allow the collection of comparable quotes, coordination with the Classification Society and the booking of the dock window at the chosen shipyard.
What happens if work not foreseen in the original specification emerges during the dock period?
It must be managed as extra work, negotiated separately with the shipyard; the availability of a contingency margin planned in advance reduces the economic and time impact of these unforeseen items.
Who decides which work is mandatory in dock and which is optional?
Mandatory work derives from the survey requirements of the Classification Society and applicable conventions (e.g. bottom inspection); additional planned maintenance work is decided by the Company based on the ship's condition and available budget.
🎬 Additional photos, videos and interactive diagrams for this topic will be available in a future version of the platform.

## Related Topics

Survey in Dry Dock Bottom Survey and In-Water Survey

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