Deciding to Dock a Vessel

Many factors are taken into consideration when making a decision about dry docking a ship.

Will the costs (wages, docking costs, and time out-of-service) warrant the time and effort?

Are there less expensive alternatives to be considered?

For example, if a large diesel or main engine is going to be switched out, would it be more cost-effective to cut a hole in the waterline. If a dedicated docking period is scheduled in the near future, the owner may decide to run the vessel in a slightly degraded state to avoid docking it twice. Simple compromises like reducing the ship's speed to relieve stress on affected systems can sometimes preclude the necessity to dock the ship. If a fuel or blackwater tank has been compromised, and the range of the vessel restricted, it may be possible to restrict the ship's sailing to local water.

Unlike the downgraded performance of a diesel or main engine as mentioned above, extensive hull or propeller damage from a log strike can immediately render a ship unserviceable. Nevertheless, a decision to take a ship out of the water must still be carefully thought out.

How will repair material be procured, what will be the costs of paying a crew's wages while the ship is tied up?

Would it be more cost effective to utilize divers to do the repair work, or transfer the freight to another vessel?

Suffice it to say, all options to mitigate the costs associated with docking a ship are considered, and the decision to take it out of the water is not made lightly.