Surveys and Dry-docking

1. The frequency of classification society surveys

a. ANNUAL SURVEYS
All steel ships are required to be surveyed at intervals of approximately one year.
These annual surveys are where practicable held concurrently with statutory
annual or other load line surveys. At the survey the surveyor is to examine the
condition of all closing appliances covered by the conditions of assignment of
minimum freeboard, the freeboard marks, and auxiliary steering gear particularly
rod and chain gear. Watertight doors and other penetrations of watertight
bulkheads are also examined and the structural fire protection verified. The
general condition of the vessel is assessed, and anchors and cables are inspected
where possible at these annual surveys. Dry bulk cargo ships are subject to an
inspection of a forward and after cargo hold.
b. INTERMEDIATE SURVEYS
Instead of the second or third annual survey after building or special survey an
intermediate survey is undertaken. In addition to the requirements for annual
survey particular attention is paid to cargo holds in vessels over 15 years of age
and the operating systems of tankers, chemical carriers and liquefied gas carriers.
c. DOCKING SURVEYS
Ships are to be examined in dry dock at intervals not exceeding 2½ years. At the
drydocking survey particular attention is paid to the shell plating, stern frame and
rudder, external and through hull fittings, and all parts of the hull particularly
liable to corrosion and chafing, and any unfairness of bottom.
d. I N-WATER SURVEYS
The Society may accept in-water surveys in lieu of any one of the two dockings
required in a five-year period. The in-water survey is to provide the information
normally obtained for the docking survey. Generally consideration is only given
to an in-water survey where a suitable high resistance paint has been applied to
the underwater hull.
SOLAS CH1 Part B - Surveys and certificates

2. Possibility of extending the intervals between dry-dockings; Hull survey;

Special surveys; Harmonized system of ship survey and certification
a. Special surveys become due at five yearly intervals, the first five years from the
date of build or date of special survey for classification and thereafter five years
from the date of the previous special survey. Special surveys may be carried out
over an extended period commencing not before the fourth anniversary after
building or previous special survey, but must be completed by the fifth
anniversary. The hull requirements at a special survey, the details of the
compartments to be opened up, and the material to be inspected at any special
survey are listed in detail in the Rules and Regulations (Part 1, Chapter 3).
b. Hull survey
Hull survey methods, are means and procedures to detect failure and
damage at an early stage to avoid premature breakdown.
Means of detection of defects and condition monitoring are inter alia:
  Visual inspections
 Non-destructive testing (NDT) and calibrating
 Examination of tightness, function and centre of gravity
 Measurements of thickness, vibration

c. Harmonized system of ship survey and certification

.1 a one-year standard interval between surveys, based on initial, annual,
intermediate, periodical and renewal surveys, as appropriate, except for MARPOL
Annex IV, which is based on initial and renewal surveys;
.2 a scheme providing the necessary flexibility to execute each survey, with
provision for:
.1 completion of the renewal survey within three months before the expiry
date of the existing certificate with no loss of its period of validity; and
.2 a "time window" of six months – from three months before to three
months after the anniversary date of the certificate for annual, intermediate and
periodical surveys;
.3 items associated with the cargo ship safety construction intermediate
survey that are additional to the requirements of the annual survey may,
alternatively, be carried out at the second or third annual survey or between these
surveys;
.3 in no case does the survey carried out under 1.3.2.3 remove the need to carry
out the required annual surveys.
.4 a maximum period of validity of five years for all cargo ship certificates;
.5 a maximum period of validity of 12 months for the Passenger Ship Safety
Certificate;
.6 a system for the extension of certificates limited to three months, enabling a
ship to complete its voyage, or one month for ships engaged on short voyages;
.7 when an extension has been granted, the period of validity of the new
certificate starting from the expiry date of the existing certificate before its
extension;
.8 a flexible system for inspection of the outside of the ship's bottom on the
following conditions:
.1 a minimum of two inspections during any five-year period of validity of
the Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate or the Cargo Ship Safety
Certificate; and
.2 the interval between any two such inspections should not exceed 36
months;
.9 a Cargo Ship Safety Certificate under SOLAS 74/88, as an alternative to
separate Cargo Ship Safety Construction, Cargo Ship Safety Equipment and
Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificates; and
.10 a flexible system concerning the frequency and the period of validity of
certificates, subject to the minimum pattern of surveys being maintained.
SURVEY GUIDELINES UNDER THE HARMONIZED SYSTEM OF SURVEY
AND CERTIFICATION (HSSC), 2021 Resolution A. 1156(32)
 3. Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS) for oil tankers and Condition
Assessment programme (CAP)
Refer to notes
1. CAS-- oil tankers of 5,000 tons deadweight and above and of 15 years and over
Overall Survey

Hull structure in way of cargo tanks, pump rooms, cofferdams, pipe tunnels, void spaces
within the cargo area and all ballast tanks.

Close-up survey

1. All web frame rings, in all ballast tanks

2. All web frame rings, in a cargo wing tank
3. A minimum of 30% of all web frame rings, in each remaining cargo wing tank
4. All transverse bulkheads, in all cargo and ballast tanks
5. A minimum of 30% of deck and bottom transverses including adjacent structural
members, in each cargo centre tank.

Thickness Measurement

 Within the cargo area:

o Each deck plate
o Three transverse sections
o Each bottom plate
 Measurements of structural members subject to close-up survey according
for general assessment and recording of corrosion pattern
 Suspect areas
 Selected wind and water strakes outside the cargo area.
 All wind and water strakes within the cargo area.
 Internal structure in the fore and aft peak tanks
 All exposed main deck plates outside the cargo area and all exposed first tier
superstructure deck plates

2. CAP -- Hull structures (HCAP) and Machinery/cargo systems (MCAP).

a. Assessment may include the actual technical condition of hull, machinery,
electrical installation, and cargo related system. It is an independent and
thorough verification to rate the actual condition of the ship, based on
detailed inspection and function testing, thickness measurements and
strength calculation and performance testing
b. The CAP is applicable to oil tankers and bulk carriers of 15 years of age
and above
c. HCAP is to include check of documents and records, overall, internal and
close-up surveys, thickness measurements and analysis, as well as strength
assessment including longitudinal strength calculations, re-assessment of
scantlings and fatigue strength assessment.
 d. MCAP includes a check of documents and records, an overall survey of
machinery/cargo systems, function test, oil sample analysis and vibration
measurement.

4. Ability to list the items inspected at annual survey

a. Watertight doors and other penetrations of watertight bulkheads
b. Structural fire protection
c. Anchors and cables

5. Ability to list the items to examine in dry-dock; Ability to describe the

examinations to be made of the items listed above
When a vessel is dry-docked, attention has to be focused on:
 deformations and/or discontinuities along keel plates, bottom, and side plates, bilge keels, shell
openings and attachments,
 checks for leakages from inside to outside, if the ballast tanks have overflow prior to this
inspection,
 condition of sea inlets and discharges (excessive corrosion)
 removal of the drain plug at the rudder blade. If water leaks out this is an indication that the blade
has suffered water ingress (which may otherwise have remained hidden);
 measurement of rudder bearing clearances by feelers can also be considered a visual approach
to assess wear-down. Ditto calibration of anchor chain links by caliper slide,
 condition of rudder flange; bolts or nut(s) must be absolutely tight;
 condition of welding at seams and butts and in way of outlet openings.
 condition of the propeller(erosion, pitting, cracking), the shaft-line bearings and seals(leakage,
wearing)
 condition of inlet and outlet piping, valves, seachests and sea filters
o Visual over-all inspection (general sighting of a vessel's hull condition)
o Visual close-up examination (indentations and/or deformations have been located)
 good torch and a test hammer should always be available, as well as a scraper
to remove rust scale and debris to reveal the bare material underneath
o Dye checks with liquid penetrants
 Area is sprayed or soaked with fluorescent  dye to allow for penetration, and after
a time lapse is wiped dry.
 When viewed under ultra violet light, any faults will be shown by the glow of the
penetrant in them.
o Magnetic particle checks
 A magnetic field is produced in the component by means of an electric current or
permanent magnet and magnetic particles are spread on the surface.
 Cracks are revealed by a line of magnetic particles.
o  Radiographic checks
 Faults in the metal affect the intensity of rays passing -through the material.
 Film exposed by the rays gives a shadow photograph when developed.
o Ultrasonic measurements
 The probe emits high frequency sound waves which are reflected back by any
flaws in the object.
  Reflect ions are also received back from the opposite surface. The probe is
connected to a cathode ray oscilloscope which shows the results in a simple
way.
6. Ability to describe the cleaning, preparation and painting of the hull in dry-
dock
a. High pressure fresh water cleaning
i. Fresh water cleaning is always necessary to remove salts, fouling, any
loose paint and other contaminants.
ii. Usually, fresh water cleaning is done immediately after in-docking as any
fouling more easily removed when it is has not dried up completely. Hard
fouling may require mechanical means to remove.
b. Surface preparation
i. Abrasive blasting or high pressure water-jetting usually blasting to ISO-Sa
2½ is specified for rusted areas (spot) or the entire area to be coated (full)
c. Paint Application
i. complex steel structures such as water ballast tanks, stiffeners, weld
seams, corners and edges must be stripe coated prior to a full-coat
application
ii. block hull outlets with so-called scupper plugs or using an extended hose
as run downs of water can ruin a fresh applied paint
iii. temperature and humidity are also an important factor,
1. painting a steel surface with moist will lead to premature paint
failure, because of the water, a corrosion cell is trapped under the
coating
2. at temperatures below 5 degrees, the curing of paint slow down
dramatically
3. at extreme temperatures, drying and curing of paint is too fast,
result dry spray due to rapid loss of solvent between spray nozzle
and steel surface
iv. Attention should be given to the following during spray application:
1. the right angle
2. the right distance
3. condition
4. a consistent pattern

7. Ability to calculate paint quantities.

a. Consumption(Litre) = area (m) x desired DFT (micron) / VS % x 10