The timeline
A dry docking is the largest discrete sum a vessel spends and the point at which the quality of its technical management becomes visible. Everything that has been deferred arrives at once, in a yard, with a clock running and a repair manager who prices change orders without competition.
| Months before | Activity |
|---|---|
| 12–18 | Survey status review; condition assessment; initial budget |
| 9–12 | Draft specification; identify major items; owner-supplied equipment lead times |
| 6–9 | Tender to yards; evaluate on total cost, not day rate |
| 4–6 | Award; refine specification; order long-lead items |
| 3–4 | Class and flag notification; survey scope agreed |
| 2–3 | Site team appointed; logistics and crew planning |
| 1 | Pre-docking inspections; tank cleaning and gas-freeing planned |
| 0 | Arrival, docking, daily progress control |
| +1 | Close-out, warranty register, final account |
Starting at three months is how owners end up with an incomplete specification and a yard holding the pen.
The specification is the budget
A dry dock cost is decided by the quality of the specification, not by the yard's rates.
A weak specification says "renew wasted steel as required". A strong specification says how many tonnes are anticipated, in which locations, at what unit rate, with a measurement and agreement procedure and a rate card for work beyond it.
Growth work — steel renewal, tank coating, valve and pipe replacement discovered once staging is up — is the largest driver and the least controllable. Controlling it means: thorough pre-docking condition assessment (including thickness measurements taken well in advance), an agreed unit rate card in the contract, and a measurement procedure both parties sign.
Tendering properly
Compare yards on:
| Criterion | Why |
|---|---|
| Total tendered price on an identical spec | The only comparable number |
| Rate card for growth work | Where the real money is decided |
| Docking days quoted, and penalty for overrun | Time is earnings |
| Location vs trading pattern | Positioning voyages cost fuel and time |
| Capability for the specific work | Coating, steel, machinery, electrical |
| Track record with your class society | Reduces friction on surveys |
| Payment terms and guarantees | Cash flow and recourse |
| Sub-contractor policy | Quality control |
Positioning cost is frequently ignored. A yard USD 200,000 cheaper that requires a ten-day positioning voyage each way is not cheaper.
On site
- Full-time owner's representation. A site team present daily, not a superintendent who visits.
- Daily progress meeting with a written record, against a critical path schedule.
- Change order discipline. Nothing proceeds without a signed order with a price. "We'll sort it later" always costs more.
- Measurement witnessed. Steel weights, coating areas and pipe lengths measured jointly and signed at the time.
- Photographic record of everything opened up, before and after.
- Class and flag surveyor coordination so that surveys happen when the item is accessible.
- Safety governance. Hot work, enclosed spaces and staging in a yard are the highest-risk period in a vessel's cycle; incidents in dock are common and serious.
Hull coating: the decision with the longest tail
The coating specified at docking determines fuel consumption, CII performance and EU ETS cost for the next five years. A cheaper coating that gives 6% more speed loss over the docking cycle will cost far more in fuel and allowances than it saved at the yard.
Decide coating on total cost over the cycle, modelled with expected trading pattern, idle time and water temperature — not on the price per litre.
Budget structure
| Element | Notes |
|---|---|
| Yard general services | Docking, undocking, staging, power, waste |
| Hull treatment | Blasting, coating, anodes |
| Steel renewal | Unit rate × anticipated tonnage, plus contingency |
| Machinery overhauls | Planned items scheduled into the window |
| Tailshaft, rudder, valves | Survey-driven |
| Class survey items | Known and anticipated |
| Owner-supplied equipment | With lead times protected |
| Superintendency and site team | Travel, accommodation, duration |
| Contingency | 10–20% depending on vessel age and condition data quality |
| Positioning and off-hire | Voyage cost plus lost earnings |
The last line belongs in the budget. A docking is not just the invoice; it is the invoice plus the earnings forgone.
Closing out
- Warranty register with items, dates and yard contact
- Photographic and measurement records archived against the vessel
- PMS updated: overhauled equipment reset, new equipment registered, IHM updated for materials introduced
- Final account reconciled line by line against the specification and signed change orders
- Lessons captured for the next docking in the fleet
docking intervals are governed by class and flag requirements — confirm for your vessel. Overrun chart is an indicative model. Reviewed by the Zeaclub Editorial Team, 24 August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How often must a ship be dry docked?
Typically two dockings in a five-year period, with a maximum interval between them, subject to class and flag rules and any approved in-water survey arrangements.
How long does a dry docking take?
Commonly 10–25 days for a routine docking on conventional tonnage, extending significantly with major steel work, coating renewal or retrofits.
What causes cost overruns?
Predominantly growth work discovered after opening up, followed by ambiguous specification items and schedule extension. Better pre-docking condition data is the most effective control.
Should the owner have a site team?
Yes. Full-time representation pays for itself in change-order control alone, and the difference in quality of measurement and inspection is substantial.