Ship Lay-Up During the Coronavirus Pandemic
In light of volatile global markets and the impact of Coronavirus, Members may be considering taking a ship out of service until demand rises again.
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Many companies already have practical knowledge of this aspect of ship operations, gained during previous shipping market downturns.
Those who require general advice on lay-up best practice should first contact their Classification Societies, who may also be able to assist further with a dedicated lay-up support service. Furthermore, there are free, essential lay-up recommendations available, such as the DNV-GL publication.
However, Members who need to develop a lay-up plan from the ground up and are new to this kind of vessel status may prefer to consult the comprehensive guidelines published by BIMCO in 2019.
BIMCO’s helpful Ship Lay-Up Guide explains why a ship is placed into lay-up and the types of lay-up, as well as providing readers with information on appraisal, planning, procedures at the lay-up site and the reactivation process. The publication also contains a chapter detailing lay-up locations across the world.
The Guide is supplemented by a 100-page Record of Lay-Up, a practical workbook covering all stages of lay-up, including:
Planning and preparation
Passage to the lay-up location
Arrival checklists
Recommended activities during lay-up (including periodic maintenance and lay-up records)
Reactivation.
Further details on the Guide and how to obtain a copy can be found via the BIMCO website
For information on this topic, Members should contact the Club’s Loss Prevention department.