Dry-docking a vessel is a technical requirement common to all commercial vessels. It must be done every 2/3 years and falls under the responsibility of the ship owner. The work is controlled by the classification society of Ocean Viking, which renew the ship’s certificates.
The purpose of the dry dock is to check everything below the waterline of the ship. First the hull must be sandblasted, meaning that the paint must be removed, to control the thickness of the hull with a laser system. The general condition of the ship’s propeller must also be checked, as well as its connections and the sealing system of the propeller shaft. Anchors should be placed on the ground and the chains unrolled to be checked. The Bow thruster must also be examined as well as all the seawater inlet and outlet valves. Finally, the hull must be completely repainted and a coat of antifouling (special paint to prevent aquatic organisms from attaching themselves to the ship’s hull) must be added so that the ship can be refloated. Every job carried out onboard complies with the applicable IOM environmental regulations.