There are still some of the vessel owners and operators not understand the term of vessel cold layup. Most of them loss their profit while operating the fleet idle or less cargo. Some feel laying up their fleets will bring their company profile low till the investor uncomfortable doing the business with them. But these reasons all no more practicable to current decades. The company top management has to look forward the methods of the preservation their assets in order to have an efficient operation with low cash flow. It does not matter if low revenue; always find a way to keep tide of the operating cost. The cold layup service will assist the vessel owners and operators to cut the operation cost more than 50 percent which assist them to invest into other areas or for bidding new contracts.
The term cold layup is sufficient to explain everyone without any detail description that the vessel will be preserved without any energy generated by the vessel systems. The vessel owners and operators no required any budget annually for breakdown maintenance and power generation. They also less worries of the safe manning requirement where the cold layup not required full manning for the vessel owners and operators. The vessels indeed no required any statuary validity during the period of layup. It means no renewal of class certification, maintenance of the state regulations and any international requirements.
Each owner of vessel do required the vessel are in full operation condition at all time. These extended to the ship hull protection from corrosion until to the machineries operation from any malfunction. The laying up company should more concern and provide all assistant on the owner’s expectations. Even the old dehumidifications methods still in markets, there are new technologies are inverted to make the vessel free of rust due to the high humidity. Environmental friendly Desiccant is widely used to reduce the humidity levels and at same time reduce the cost of operation the Dehumidifier. But the use of desiccant only effective and limited in usage at smaller / confine area with less introducing of fresh air / water. The dehumidifiers are more reliable and effective to those big and wet compartments such as engine room, accommodation and big stores.
As for the ship hull normally the laying up company provide additional hanging anode to protect from corrosion effects. The professional laying up company has their own control on the numbers of anodes and its weight to not over protect the ship hull which in later stage damage the coating/ cause the paints to peel off. The type of anodes does also taken into consideration to provide full range protection to ship hull. The potential reading on hull as well as on hanging anode will display the percentage of corrosion with any requirements of dry docking/ underwater survey for short terms.
The owner of the vessel shall more careful in making decision where to lay up the vessel. They need to consider the area they lay up is free from any piracy. Don’t ever underestimate the dead vessel not pull the pirate attention. The layup company also should provide a 24 hours surveillance watch to the vessel under their care with competent watchmen on board and back up support from shore based. It would be more secure if the layup anchorage area located within the port limit and closer to marine petrol surveillances. Normally the bay areas are more suitable for this kind of activity due to the area more secure. The bay are naturally protect the vessel in lay up from any external force such as tsunami, hurricane or high sea currents. A shallow water bay will be an advantage for the small craft owner where they can drop about 10 -11 shackle to secure their fleet.
A professional laying up company should capable of carrying out the preservation of the machineries from seizing and make sure all machineries in operating level at all time; not limited of operating the critical safety items such as emergency fire pump, emergency generator, emergency steering, lifeboat engines and operating of ventilation system. A competent engineer with sea experience would more understand the ship system and maintenance of these machineries. The laying up company should hire more qualified personnel to save the interest of the ship owner and the operators. The laying up company would be helpful if the present their competency to the vessel owner when bidding for vessel layup.
In additional the layup company can provide a fabric maintenance services to the vessel owner to make their fleet more presentable in order the value of the asset will increased. A Blasting and painting jobs on deck during the vessel layup will save the time and cost for the vessel owner at dry dock after the particular vessels recommence the operation. Even any buyer intent to buy vessel at layup area it would be beneficial to the owner if the vessel appearance is good. Besides that, any floating docking jobs such minor modification on board can be carried out by the owner for the preparation for next assign contract for the particular vessel. Owner may have sufficient time to carry out any maintenance jobs.
As descript early, even the vessel at layup not required for statutory regulations and certification, the owner can maintain the vessel class status through the laying up company for fast reactivation. Vessels at layup have to go an annual walkabout from the class for yearly renewal interim certification. Certification for LSA and FFA can be done during the vessel reactivation. The laying up company can perform these services to generator additional income other than the vessel lay up fee.
Finally, the vessels laying up service are beneficial to both party even it more to the vessel owners and operator. The local laying up companies should understand the business strategy to bring their services to world class.
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