What Happens to the Ships that are in Dry Dock?

Have you ever wondered what a dry dock is, and what happens to ships that are in dry dock? A dry dock is a type of docking facility that can be flooded with water to allow a cruise ship to float. Once the cruise ship is floating inside, it is placed on stands, the water is then drained allowing shipyard workers access to the ship's hull and permitting them to carry out inspections and any necessary repairs.[1] It is important to note that the dry dock is part of a shipyard's facilities, regardless of its main activity, be it building or repairing ships.[2]

Maintenance, repairs, and alterations are carried out on cruise ships while they are in dry dock. During a scheduled maintenance, the cruiser's hull is inspected, cleaned, and if needed, repainted, while its propellers and thrusters are also serviced. If the cruise ship is scheduled for a makeover, structural changes and cosmetic work will then take place.[3] To carry out these construction and repair works, the shipyard has, in addition to the dock itself, additional equipment such as cranes, facilities such as docks and workshops that make it possible to repair or build a ship.

Once the required works are finished and with the ship ready to leave the dock, the process of filling the dock will then begin by pumping water inside until the ship floats freely. At the moment in which the water level inside the dock is equal to the water level outside the dock, the gate is opened, and the ship is towed out of the dock. 

There are three types of dry docks, these can be differentiated according to their use:

• Repair and maintenance: Used for emergency and planned grounding of ships.

• Construction: Docks intended mainly for shipbuilding.

• Construction and repair: Mixed docks used both for shipbuilding and for carrying out repair work.

A cruise ship can enter the dry dock depending on its time in use. Newer ships come in every 3 to 5 years, while older cruise ships tend to need a little more loving care and can go into dry dock as often as every two years.

The time a cruise ship spends in dry dock can vary from a few days to a few weeks or even months, if full renovations are planned.[4] The time that a cruise ship can spend in dry dock depends on the renovations that the ship may need.

Now, what happens with the crew of the ship? While the cruise ship is in dry dock, some crew members will remain on board, either to help with refit work or to support contractors, such as assisting shipyard personnel working to renovate the ship. It is not common to see the complete crew while the ship is in dry dock, only the minimum amount of personnel required is used. Most of the members of the deck and engine department are there to supervise the work. Sometimes a company can decide to transfer part of the crew to a cruise ship that is fulfilling another itinerary. The work, depending on the department, is lighter in the dock, it is used to advance tasks for when there are passengers again.

The crew that remains on board to help with maintenance work have the most difficult part, since they spend many hours without electricity or air conditioning.  This is also difficult for those with cabins below the waterline. The kitchens are turned off, the food is reduced to sandwiches and cold food in small quantities. The water is also shortened, and it is very common for them to receive announcements that they can go hours without water. There are also restrictions on where they can be, whether it is where they can eat or where they may transit, it depends on the tasks that are being carried out. Many times, if there are no passengers, exclusive areas for them are set up , such as the Crew Bar being moved to one of the passengers ‘rooms.

Since there are many workers on board, more attention is paid when walking around the ship. At any given time, they may be welding, electrical work, or reperations in the elevators or the roof. It is like living on a construction site, so a lot of care is taken, safety always comes first.

In reference to salaries, if the crew member has a tipping position, they will only receive the basic salary. Therefore, the dry dock for them would mean a significant decrease in their salary.[5]

Taking into consideration all the aforementioned.  and the different facilities and equipment that a shipyard can or should have, a reasonable conclusion seems to be that the dry dock is the most fundamental part, since it allows both construction, repair, and maintenance tasks to be carried out in ships and cruises, keeping them in optimal conditions, so that its workers and passengers are comfortable and enjoy their time in it.

The dry dock is a very important and fundamental part for the maintenance of ships, since it allows both construction, repair, and maintenance tasks to be carried out on ships, whether they are ships or cruise ships, keeping them in optimal conditions, so that its workers and passengers are comfortable and enjoy their time in it.

[1] https://www.rolcruise.co.uk/blog/cruise-ship-dry-docks#:~:text=What%20happens%20to%20a%20cruise%20ship%20in%20dry%20dock%3F,and%20thrusters%20are%20also%20checked.

[2] https://www.sym-naval.com/es/blog/dique-seco-que-es/#None

[3] https://www.rolcruise.co.uk/blog/cruise-ship-dry-docks#:~:text=What%20happens%20to%20a%20cruise%20ship%20in%20dry%20dock%3F,and%20thrusters%20are%20also%20checked.

[4] https://www.rolcruise.co.uk/blog/cruise-ship-dry-docks#:~:text=What%20happens%20to%20a%20cruise%20ship%20in%20dry%20dock%3F,and%20thrusters%20are%20also%20checked.

[5] https://noticiasdecruceros.com/2022/02/21/la-tripulacion-en-dique-seco/#:~:text=%C2%BFQu%C3%A9%20hacen%20los%20miembros%20de,para%20apoyar%20a%20los%20contratistas.