Early Dry-Docks?

[Named-Tawny]

Hello people who know more about cruising than I do!

With this current lull in cruising, what are the chances that the lines take some proactive steps and re-schedule dry-docks for earlier than originally planned?

I understand that the Gem (for example) is scheduled to go for a dry-dock near the end of the year.  Since they're not sailing now (and could potentially sail during that dry-dock week, if they weren't docked), would they move things around and  spruce things up early?

Or does rescheduling dry-docks take way too much work/organisation to move things ahead by 6 months like that?

[ohioNCLcruiser]

I think it might be the opposite actually. If the materials and dry dock is not already paid for I suspect they might be postponed.  They are in crisis money saving mode now. If the money is paid or a 100% penalty to cancel is in place then it will probably continue as planned. 

Edited April 13, 2020 by ohioNCLcruiser

[ColeThornton]

Will you let NCL borrow your credit card, Tawny?   🙂

[dexddd]

Unless required near term, doubt they'd spend the money.  And if required, probably just the basics.

 

Luckily most of the fleet even the oldest ships have had major, vast recent refurbs so ahead of the curve there.

[zdcatc12]

23 minutes ago, ohioNCLcruiser said:

I think it might be the opposite actually. If the materials and dry dock is not already paid for I suspect they might be postponed.  They are in crisis money saving mode now. If the money is paid or a 100% penalty to cancel is in place then it will probably continue as planned. 

Correct, I saw an article today about many major dry docks getting cancelled/postponed due to either money they no longer want to use or the drydock facility being closed during this time.

[kwokpot]

29 minutes ago, Named-Tawny said:

Hello people who know more about cruising than I do!

With this current lull in cruising, what are the chances that the lines take some proactive steps and re-schedule dry-docks for earlier than originally planned?

I understand that the Gem (for example) is scheduled to go for a dry-dock near the end of the year.  Since they're not sailing now (and could potentially sail during that dry-dock week, if they weren't docked), would they move things around and  spruce things up early?

Or does rescheduling dry-docks take way too much work/organisation to move things ahead by 6 months like that?

You're really looking at it the wrong way. The cruiselines are starving for cash. Major drydocks are the last thing on their minds.

[Named-Tawny]

Thanks all!  I knew folks here would have better insight than I did!

 

I'd assumed that most of the dry-docks were because they needed to meet regulatory requirements, rather than just optional.

Much appreciated!

[shof515]

32 minutes ago, zdcatc12 said:

Correct, I saw an article today about many major dry docks getting cancelled/postponed due to either money they no longer want to use or the drydock facility being closed during this time.

 

Carnival is currently stuck with this problem. They were in the process of renovated the Carnival Victory with the ship currently in drydock when they begin the cruising shutdown back in march. They also have a new ship being built at a different ship yard.

[kwokpot]

7 minutes ago, Named-Tawny said:

Thanks all!  I knew folks here would have better insight than I did!

 

I'd assumed that most of the dry-docks were because they needed to meet regulatory requirements, rather than just optional.

Much appreciated!

You are correct that there are drydocks for must do maintenance. That will continue but again I don't think they would accelerate a maintenance drydock for the same reasons - cashflow.

[SpainAlien]

Some of the dockyards are actually closed due to lockdown anyway at the momemt

[Steff79]

https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/marseille-les-arrets-techniques-de-paquebots-vont-reprendre

 

Breakaway is on the way to Marseille for dry dock, last dry dock wa 2018, i think they are doing only technic things, do someone know what they are doing?

Edited May 14, 2020 by Steff79

[hamrag]

On 4/13/2020 at 3:11 PM, Named-Tawny said:

.....With this current lull in cruising, what are the chances that the lines take some proactive steps and re-schedule dry-docks for earlier than originally planned?....

NIL....Not in the midst of the most extreme cash crisis in cruiseline history!

[Laszlo]

On 4/13/2020 at 10:11 AM, Named-Tawny said:

Hello people who know more about cruising than I do!

With this current lull in cruising, what are the chances that the lines take some proactive steps and re-schedule dry-docks for earlier than originally planned?

I understand that the Gem (for example) is scheduled to go for a dry-dock near the end of the year.  Since they're not sailing now (and could potentially sail during that dry-dock week, if they weren't docked), would they move things around and  spruce things up early?

Or does rescheduling dry-docks take way too much work/organisation to move things ahead by 6 months like that?

 

 

You own a business, a large office building. You have been shut down the last three months, your bleeding money. Do you really think now is a good time to start redecorating the place?

[PelicanBill]

RCL was to do a major dry dock on Allure of the Seas, but has shortened it to a necessities refurb only, delaying all the capital improvements they were going to make in the ship.

[Corliss]

On 4/13/2020 at 7:41 AM, zdcatc12 said:

Correct, I saw an article today about many major dry docks getting cancelled/postponed due to either money they no longer want to use or the drydock facility being closed during this time.

 

Well, I hope they follow through and repair the engine on the Star in Europe.  I just booked a cruise on her Lisbon to South America.....a slow journey if she still is only able to do 11 knots.

[www3traveler]

On 4/13/2020 at 7:11 AM, Named-Tawny said:

Hello people who know more about cruising than I do!

With this current lull in cruising, what are the chances that the lines take some proactive steps and re-schedule dry-docks for earlier than originally planned?

I understand that the Gem (for example) is scheduled to go for a dry-dock near the end of the year.  Since they're not sailing now (and could potentially sail during that dry-dock week, if they weren't docked), would they move things around and  spruce things up early?

Or does rescheduling dry-docks take way too much work/organisation to move things ahead by 6 months like that?

If  shipyards are open, they have ships already booked some in cases, two in advance.

[BBlake43]

3 hours ago, Corliss said:

 

Well, I hope they follow through and repair the engine on the Star in Europe.  I just booked a cruise on her Lisbon to South America.....a slow journey if she still is only able to do 11 knots.

She has been able to do over 20 knots even with 1 bad engine

[Named-Tawny]

On 5/14/2020 at 10:59 AM, Laszlo said:

 

 

You own a business, a large office building. You have been shut down the last three months, your bleeding money. Do you really think now is a good time to start redecorating the place?

I was under the belief that dry docks every number of years were mandatory.

If I had a hotel, and knew that I had to shut down for a week sometime in the next year, and I was also shut down now, I'd rather do the repairs now, so that I could have guests when I'm reopened, was my thinking.

Dry docks are about more than just redocorating, AFAIK.

[njhorseman]

12 minutes ago, Named-Tawny said:

I was under the belief that dry docks every number of years were mandatory.

If I had a hotel, and knew that I had to shut down for a week sometime in the next year, and I was also shut down now, I'd rather do the repairs now, so that I could have guests when I'm reopened, was my thinking.

Dry docks are about more than just redocorating, AFAIK.

You're correct . I believe this source is accurate:

https://www.marineinsight.com/guidelines/what-is-extended-dry-docking-of-ships/

 

HOME » GUIDELINES » WHAT IS EXTENDED DRY-DOCKING OF SHIPS?

What is Extended Dry-Docking of Ships?

By Raunek 

According to SOLAS regulation, every sea-going vessel has to undergo two dry docks within a period of 5 years. A ship in dry dock is a ship out of service. Dry dock is a complex process which is both expensive and time consuming. It is a necessary evil which ship owners, operators, and crew members have to go through when the time requires. With two compulsory dry docks within a period of 5 years, it is a stressful task for ship owners and personnel who have to go through a lot of planning and preparation for the drydocking activity.

 

Planning of dry docking starts several months before the scheduled date. A number of things needs to be arranged starting from the convenient place for dry-docking to arranging spares and on-shore maintenance staff. Moreover, it is often seen that ships have to take a totally different route for a suitable dry dock place as most of the time the desired facility is not available when needed. This is very common with larger vessels.

 

In order to deal with this situation, all major classifications societies have a special program called the “Extended Dry-Docking” or EDD scheme.

 

What is Extended Dry-Docking Program?

Under extended dry-docking program, ships have a privilege to extend their dry docking period from 5  to 7.5 years. This means that ships under this special program gets maximum dry dock interval of 7.5 years by replacing certain dry-dockings by in-water surveys (IWS) which are carried out by approved diving companies

Edited May 16, 2020 by njhorseman

[chengkp75]

Yes, drydockings are statutory, and must be completed within a time window.  So, if a ship is placed in service this month, May 2020, it's first statutory drydocking must be between Mar and Jul of 2025.  If you go into a drydock too early, you may do a lot of work, even statutory inspections below the waterline, but you will not get "credit" for it, and you will have to redo the drydock within the statutory window.  If you let it go too late, your certificates expire, and you can no longer sail.

 

I have not seen the "extended" drydock period mentioned above.  However, ships less than 15 years old, are allowed to substitute an underwater survey by divers for the "intermediate" drydocking (that first one of the two in 5 years), so that the ship will dock every 5 years, instead of twice in 5 years, with a diver survey in between.  I suspect that the extended drydock period will only last until the ship reaches 15 years of age, as all class societies have what are known as "special survey" intervals, every 5 years, where they inspect welds in the hull, the thickness of hull plating and frames, and the like.  The 3rd special survey, which happens at 15 years, is considered a critical survey, as this has been found to be the point where significant maintenance and/or repairs need to be done to nearly all ships, so at this time, they feel that the ships need to be physically inspected every 2.5 years.

 

With most shipyards around the world having been shut down for the last two months, as they spin back up, they need to clear the backlog of drydockings (remember, cruise ships only account for about 5% of the total ships in the world, and all of them have the same drydock requirements).  Add to this the lack of capital that cruise lines currently have, and many will not only forego any refurbishments during drydock, but many will accept a break in their certificates and forego drydockings completely, and face having to drydock before the ship can return to service.

 

Also, given the historical service life of azipod bearings, I don't believe most cruise ships will opt for the extended drydock program, as the bearings just won't last that long.

Edited May 17, 2020 by chengkp75

[boco]

NCL Star expected tomorrow in Rotterdam Damen Shipyard for repairs

[Steff79]

good news, hope they can fix the Azipods Prorblem.

[BBlake43]

14 minutes ago, Steff79 said:

good news, hope they can fix the Azipods Prorblem.

Not an azipod issue this time.. Problem with one of the engines

[PelicanBill]

20 hours ago, Named-Tawny said:

I was under the belief that dry docks every number of years were mandatory.

If I had a hotel, and knew that I had to shut down for a week sometime in the next year, and I was also shut down now, I'd rather do the repairs now, so that I could have guests when I'm reopened, was my thinking.

Dry docks are about more than just redocorating, AFAIK.

This is why Allure of the Seas is shortening its dry dock.  Engine maintenance can only be delayed so long, especially Azipods. But the soft goods, redecorating, and refits can all be delayed.  Allure was to have some serious changes - like changing an area to the Music Hall venue and adding a Robotic bar - both delayed.

 

The idea of "do it now" while shut down is overidden by the cash flow problem - survival of the company is at stake, and measured in months.  RCCL and NCL have drawn out all their credit and gotten more - to pay the bills and debt service.  You don't spend $10M, $20M or more  on a refit when you are at risk of entering Chapter 11 in less than a year.