DRY-DOCKING OF A SHIP

This involves placing the vessel in a dry-dock

or upon a slipway for docking survey or under
water work.
The keel stem, stern frame, stern post, rudder,
and outside hull plates are cleaned and
examined.
Also included in the examination are propeller,
sea chest, sea valves, strainers and all the
under water fittings.
Stern tube, tail shaft, shaft seals, rudder
bearings are examined and calibrated
Prior to vessels entry into the dry dock, its
condition to be ascertained for satisfying the
requirements while being dry docked, such as
proper draft,
trim & head,
its tank conditions,
de-ballasting of tanks for lightening & trimming,
and vessels docking plan.
After sitting on the blocks, & after the dock has
been pumped out, ship side & bottom to be
cleaned & washed down with high pressure jet
of water.
All safety signs to be displayed.
Anchor & chain are to be ranged out for cleaning,
cables & joining shackles to be examined.
Rudder to be lifted for inspection and clearance to
measure and record, bush & sleeve inspected,
thrust bearing to be opened, cleaned &
inspected..
 CHIEF ENGINEER’S CHECK LIST
Check the repair list specifications & yards estimation
of repairs period etc.
Check details of repairers, order all spares required for
the works planned & ensure they are arranged.
Make out work schedule.
Prepare a plan to divide all work properly between all
ship’s staff.
Check all staging & passages for fire safety and
personnel safety.
Prior to arrival of the ship at the dry dock
Discuss with yard’s representatives the repair list, as
approved by company superintendent.
Arrange cleaners.
Explain repair program on machineries to classification
surveyor. Survey application to be made.
On arrival of ship, discuss repair list with yard and
ship’s staff who will take charge, confirming each
repair and survey work and also correct
specification & schedule.
Review existing conditions with ship’s staff & also
repairs procedures to be followed.
Understanding of safe working practices to be
ascertained from all concerned parties involved
in the repairs program.
Ascertain docking conditions are favorable like
draft, trim, heel etc.
Check mooring machinery for proper functioning.
All other precautions likely to be taken are
informed to al properly and clearly.
Ensure that yard is informed about the requirement
of shore power, & water.
For a routine dry-docking, the usual work to be
done are:
Hull cleaned of marine growth. Painting with anti-
corrosive and anti-fouling paints. Sacrificial
anodes renewed. Hull inspection and repairs.
Shipside gratings cleaned and repaired. All
overboard and sea suction valves overhauled.
Cleaning and surveying of tanks. Rudder, carrier
ring, pintle’s, locking devices clearances
examined. Propeller damage, nut looseness,
blade polishing done. Tail shaft bearing wear
down checked. Tail shaft removed and
inspected. Coupling bolts and holes deformation.
Anchor chain examined, cleaned and re-marked.
All underwater stuffing boxes repacked.
 To the ship's personnel, this is a busy time. Although
shipyard workers will do a lot of work, many of the repair
and servicing work will be assigned to them. As with
everybody working on the ship, this is a time to be extra
careful on safety. Many people are working in the same
place at the same time.
 Some rigging workers are lifting heavy materials using
chain blocks, while some machinery workers are
dismantling foundation bolts for the engine below. Some
welders are cutting pipes just a few feet away. Some
workers have removed floor plates so that they can crawl
down to inspect the cofferdam. Engine mechanics have
dripped lubrication oil on the floor while removing the
main bearings. People on the next level are cleaning the
boiler tubes, and soot has spilled on the floor.
The whole ship, especially the engine room has
become a mess.
For safety purposes, fire hoses connected to shore
hydrants are laid on deck and pressurized.
Precautions are taken to avoid tools or other
materials from falling from the sides of the ship.
Safety helmets are a must. Cables or hoses do
not obstruct excess to passageways. Fire
extinguishers are made available near welding
sites. For long stay or cold climates, water in
engines or pipes has to be drained away to
prevent freezing.
Dry-docking is not the normal routine work for the
seafarer. There may be some time to explore the
land too. It could be fun!
Some of the normal utilities may not be functional
at that time. Often, the seamen will have to use
the shore shower and toilet facilities. If for any
reason cooling seawater is not supplied to the
air-conditioning system on board by hoses, then
there will not be air-conditioning. Sometimes
repair work has to be done on the seawater
piping. The boilers have been dismantled, so
there is no heating in the living quarters.
Sometimes shipping companies arrange special
accommodation for their crew on shore during
dry-docking.
· Working over Water: In most cases when
working over water an approved personal
flotation device (PFD) must be worn. When
worn, the PFD shall be zipped up and all snaps
snapped. The PDF will not save the user’s life if
it slips off the Shipyards tend to be a place
where a smorgasbord of operations is conducted
at any one time. Heavy lifting, sandblasting
operations, water blasting operations, painting,
hot-work operations, and the installation of
delicate instrumentation or cabinetry are
performed simultaneously. To add excitement to
all of this, a variety of subcontract personnel are
necessary to accomplish many of the tasks; the
vessel’s crew members must have access to
their ship; and the vessel’s owner may have their
own subcontract personnel working onboard the
vessel or in the shipyard.
· Confined Space Entry: Always look for and
adhere to the Marine Chemist Certificate or the
Shipyard Competent Person (SCP) inspection
form before entering a spaceWith the vast
amount of activity, there is a great potential for
injuries. Therefore, it is of the utmost
importance to take the time to plan work
activities at the beginning of each day or job,
including the safe work habits that are needed.
Production and quality are extremely critical to
the project and to the company. However, if you
are at the clinic or hospital due to an injury, your
production is zero and there is no quality
obtained.
· A few of the safe work habits to keep in mind are:
. Understand and follow all information noted by
the Marine Chemist or the SCP.

 Lifting and Handling Material: Heavy lifting

operations are common in the shipyard and are
often required to be conducted in cramped
spaces. Mentally lift the load first. Ask yourself
if you can safely lift the load alone. Get help
with heavy or difficult lifts. Always utilize a chain
fall or other proper mechanical device whenever
possible.
· Working above the Deck: Falls in shipyards are
a major cause of injury. Whenever working
above 5 feet the platform must have guardrails
and mid-rails in place. Personnel that are
required to work beyond this protection are
required to wear full-body harnesses with shock-
absorbing lanyards. Lanyards must be attached
to an appropriate anchor point. Access ladders
must be tied-off so as to preclude them from
moving. Ladders must extend at least three (3)
feet above the landing.
· Eye Protection: Eye injuries are one of the most
common in shipyards. Eye protection shall be
worn at all times, in all areas where required.
Protect your eyes at all times.
· Housekeeping: A poorly maintained shipyard
increases the chances for slips, trips and falls.
Sprain knees and twisted ankles are painful
reminders that material or equipment was left
astray. Keep accesses free of debris and
miscellaneous materials.
·
 Hot Work: Painting, flammables and the interior
finishes of vessels undergoing repair in
shipyards do not bode well to hot work. A fire
extinguisher or water hose should always be
located near hot work activities. Fire watches
are required for most shipyard hot work
activities.
· Hatchways: Railings or guards should be
installed around open hatchways and deck
openings. If a person can fall over it, or into it, a
rail or guard is required. Perimeter railings are
required to be checked daily.
The shipyard is a bustling place to work in each
day – everyone’s safety is your responsibility.