Get to Know About Ship Docking: Process and Function

Ship docking is one of the most important processes in sea freight maintenance. In this process, a vessel is brought onto land so that it can undergo necessary repairs and upkeep

Then, how long does a ship's docking take, and how is it done?? This article will walk you through the concept of ship docking, so read on until the end to learn more!

What Is Ship Docking?

Ship docking is a process of shifting a vessel to the dock, which has manufacturing, maintenance, and repair facilities. Here, ships are painted, fixed and cleaned.

These maintenance activities are carried out routinely and are standard international shipping practice. Each side must be inspected to reduce the risk of accidents and damage during voyages. These activities apply to all types of ships.

So, how long does it take for a ship to dock? The process can take days or even months, depending on the extent of maintenance and repairs required

Yet, for the schedule, the Indonesian Directorate General of Marine Transportation has regulated it in Peraturan Direktur Jenderal Perhubungan Laut Nomor HK.103/I/4/DJPL-14 about Indonesian-flagged ship docking.

It regulates the ship docking schedule for various types of vessels, such as passenger ships that must be docked annually, and so on.

Why Must You Do Ship Docking?

Ship docking is a crucial element in sea freight. Here are some reasons why:

1. Increasing Ship Efficiency

Ships may become increasingly worn out over time. Ship docking is carried out to identify problems with the ship and repair them. This is important to ensure that the ship remains well-maintained and operates efficiently and optimally. Ship docking also allows you to make the necessary modifications to improve the performance.

2. Complying with the Regulation

Ship docking is a mandatory requirement. It is also regulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). According to the IMO, ships need to undergo surveys every 36 months for commercial vessels. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, ship docking is regulated by the Ministry of Transportation, as explained earlier.

3. Ensuring Crew’s Safety

Well-maintained ships ensure safer voyages and protect the crew during expeditions. (tambah elaborasi lagi)

Ship Docking Methods

Typically, there are several ship docking methods we can use based on the dock and vessel’s conditions, such as:

1. Floating Docking

Floating docking is the process of putting a ship into a floating dock and bringing it down to the sea to hold the ship. Once the ship is out of the floating dock, the dock will be relifted.

2. Dry Docking

Dry docking is the process of maintaining a ship in a dry dock. So, the water in the dock is drained until the ship rests on a dry surface. This method is suitable for lower part repair.

When dry-docking, the crews will clean and fix the hull, repaint the vessel with corrosion-resistant paint, clean the tank, and inspect the important components in the vessels, such as the anchor chain, etc.

3. Graving Docking

A graving dock is shaped like a ship at the edge of the sea and has sturdy walls like a swimming pool. When a ship is placed in this dock, the walls can withstand the weight of the water. For entering and exiting the dock, it uses doors made of steel construction.

4. Slipway Docking

The slipway dock uses a bearing for the ship’s stand. To get into the dock, the vessel will be pulled from the sea surface using a steel rope and crane.

The Process of Ship Docking

The purpose of ship docking is to repair the vessels. Some equipment, such as a crane, a lift, a hydraulic jack, pumps, and drainage, might be used in the process. Then, how to do ship docking? Here is the complete information:

Choosing docking location: You must choose the docking location by matching the vessel’s size and the facilities needed.
Draining the water in the area: Next, you must drain the dock to lift the ship.
Installing the buffer: A buffer will be installed once the vessel is lifted to make it stable during the maintenance process.
Inspecting and fixing the ships: The crew will inspect the entire side of the ships to find damage. Then, they will fix, change, and paint the ship.
Testing the ship: Next, the vessel will be tested to see whether it works or not. Then, it will be released to the sea.

Overall, it may be concluded that ship docking is one of the important procedures in sea transportation because it maintains the optimal performance of the ship. When it can operate efficiently, the delivery will be smooth.

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