Blog Post 05: Pre-docking — The Key to a Controlled Dry Dock
Title: Pre-docking: The Key to a Controlled Dry Dock for Mid-Size Shipowners
Target Audience: Technical Superintendents, Fleet Managers, Shipowner Directors.
Core Keywords: Pre-docking Survey, Dry Dock Planning, Work List Preparation, Shipyard Bid Comparison, Scope Creep, Cost Baseline, Contingency Management, Off-Hire Reduction.
The Phase That Determines the Outcome
A dry dock is won or lost before the vessel enters the shipyard. The pre-docking phase — the work done between the decision to dock and the vessel's arrival at the shipyard gate — is the single highest-leverage period in the entire dry dock cycle. Invest time here, and the probability of on-budget, on-schedule execution rises dramatically. Skip it, and the 20% cost overrun becomes almost inevitable.
Yet many mid-size shipowners underinvest in pre-docking, treating it as a brief administrative step between budget approval and shipyard booking. The superintendent is expected to compile a work list, send it to three shipyards, pick the lowest quote, and sail the vessel to dock. What could go wrong?
Everything. Because the work list compiled without a physical inspection is incomplete. The shipyard quotation based on an incomplete list is misleading. And the budget approved against that quotation is a fiction that will be corrected by the first "additional finding" — of which there will be many.
The Pre-Docking Survey: Finding the Hidden Work
The cornerstone of pre-docking is the physical inspection of the vessel by an independent technical team before the work list is submitted to shipyards. This survey serves one purpose: to identify as much of the required work as possible before the quotation, not during the execution.
A proper pre-docking survey covers:
- Hull and structural inspection. Ultrasonic thickness measurements (UTM) at critical locations. Visual inspection of shell plating, deck plating, and internal structures. Identification of steel renewal areas with estimated extents.
- Tank entry and inspection. Ballast tanks, fuel tanks, freshwater tanks. Coating condition assessment. Structural findings in way of stiffeners, brackets, and bulkheads.
- Machinery and systems walkthrough. Main engine, auxiliary engines, pumps, valves, piping systems. Identification of overhauls, replacements, or repairs needed.
- Propeller, rudder, and stern tube. Seal condition, bearing clearances, blade condition. Photography and measurement for baseline.
- Statutory and Class requirements verification. Items that must be surveyed or renewed during the docking: tail shaft survey, boiler survey, valve chest inspection, sea chest opening.
The output is a survey report with a findings list, estimated quantities, and a preliminary risk assessment for each item. This report becomes the basis for the work list and, critically, for the shipyard quotation.
Without a pre-docking survey, the superintendent is negotiating with shipyards based on an incomplete specification. The result is a low initial quotation and a high final invoice — the classic 15–25% overrun pattern.
Building the Work List: Priorities and Baselines
With the survey findings in hand, the work list is built with three categories:
| Category | Definition | Approval Route |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory | Class requirement, statutory, safety-critical | Must be done; no approval gate |
| Recommended | Operational improvement, planned renewal | Approved if budget and schedule allow |
| Optional | Desirable but deferrable | Deferred unless compelling business case |
Each item in the work list includes:
- Description and location.
- Estimated quantity (steel tonnage, valve size, pipe length).
- Reference to survey finding or Class requirement.
- Priority classification.
- Estimated cost range.
The work list is then used to produce:
- A cost baseline with itemised budget.
- A quantified contingency (typically 10–15% of baseline) for work that cannot be fully scoped before docking.
- A schedule baseline with critical path identified.
The baseline is the reference against which all changes are measured. It is not an estimate; it is the approved budget that requires formal change control to modify.
Shipyard Selection: Comparing Like with Like
The pre-docking phase is also when shipyards are evaluated. The common mistake is to compare unit rates (EUR per tonne of steel, EUR per day of dock rental) and select the lowest. A better approach is to compare total estimated cost against the same work list:
- Send the same work list and specification package to a minimum of three qualified shipyards.
- Require each shipyard to quote against the complete work list — not a subset, not a unit-rate estimate.
- Evaluate on total cost, not day rates: a shipyard with higher day rates but higher productivity will complete the job faster and at lower total cost.
- Factor in location logistics: shipyard proximity to the vessel's operating area reduces transit time and off-hire.
The comparison matrix should include:
| Criteria | Shipyard A | Shipyard B | Shipyard C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total quoted cost | |||
| Estimated duration | |||
| Distance from vessel's operating area | |||
| Past experience with vessel type | |||
| Availability within required window |
Pre-Docking Documentation Package
By the end of the pre-docking phase, the superintendent should have the following deliverables ready:
- Pre-docking survey report with findings and UTM results.
- Prioritised work list with quantities and cost estimates.
- Cost baseline with quantified contingency.
- Schedule baseline with critical path.
- Shipyard comparison and selection rationale.
- Change control procedure agreed with the owner in advance.
This package is the execution plan. Every decision during the docking that follows will be measured against it.
Atlantech Marine's Pre-Docking Service
We provide independent pre-docking surveys and work list preparation for mid-size shipowners preparing for dry dock. Our team conducts the physical inspection, produces the survey report, builds the baseline work list, and supports shipyard bid evaluation — so the superintendent enters the docking with a controlled scope and a realistic budget.
Planning a dry dock? Submit a service request or contact our team to schedule a pre-docking survey.
Atlantech Marine — Dry dock planning and supervision for mid-size shipowners. Based in Malta. Operating across the Mediterranean and West Africa.
