This article aims to give owners of DNV GL-classed MOUs guidelines and recommendations with regard to the short- or long-term lay-up of their vessels.
A laid-up vessel is a vessel which has been taken out of commer- cial operation for an undefined period of time.
For units planned for lay-up, DNV GL may issue a Lay-up Dec- laration and/or a Lay-up Preservation Declaration, if required by third parties.
Two lay-up conditions:
- Hot lay-up
- Lay-up time is usually less than 12 months
- Machinery is kept in operation
- Relevant cargo may be kept on board, but the owner should check about acceptance from their insurance company
- Cold lay-up
- Lay-up time is usually more than 12 months
- Machinery is out of operation; only emergency generators are in operation or temporary deck generators are installed
- Reduced manning
Considerations by owner when planning for lay-up:
- Estimated time in lay-up condition
- Operational cost savings
- Re-commissioning time and cost
- Next intended destination after re-commissioning, e.g. normal operation, repair yard or other
- Age of vessel and recycling value
Requirements for lay-up:
- The vessel is safely moored with periodical mooring watch and emergency operation of mooring winches
- Mooring winch is available at short notice
- Navigation lights, fire and bilge alarms are in operation
- Fire extinguishing and bilge systems are operable on short notice by competent personnel
- Safety arrangements for personnel on board, if any, are in place
Survey requirements during lay-up:
- A reduced annual survey is to be carried out, covering watertight integrity, the bilge system, fire hazards and equip- ment in use. Vessels manned during lay-up shall comply with class requirements regarding fire safety. The requirements may be limited to engine room areas and any high-risk area in use, assuming vessels are laid up in ballast condition and that the cargo area is clean and gas
- Prolonged survey intervals may be applied to vessels being laid up directly after completion of
- Maintenance and preservation during the lay-up period is not a class requirement, but may affect the scope of the re-commis- sioning survey. If during the lay-up period the vessel has been preserved and maintained according to a programme accepted by DNV GL, the scope of the re-commissioning survey will be specially considered.
- There is no time limit for how long a vessel can be laid-up, provided the required surveys as above are carried
Preservation of vessel:
Upon request, DNV GL may issue a Lay-up Preservation Declar- ation confirming that a vessel has been laid-up in accordance to DNV GL procedures for:
- Preserved
- Dry preserved
RE-COMMISSIONING
Preparation by owners:
The following steps should be taken by the owner upon the re- commissioning of a vessel:
- Notify local port authorities in the lay-up area
- Notify the classification society and check which class require- ments have to be fulfilled prior to leaving the lay-up site
- Notify the relevant insurance company and flag state administration
- Ensure the Safety Equipment Certificate and all other statutory certificates are valid
- Re-commission the vessel with the vessel’s crew or other competent personnel (preferably with guidance and attend- ance of local class surveyor)
CLASS FEE DURING LAY-UP
Rigs operating under Periodical Service Agreements
A Periodical Service Agreement (PSA) will cover the classification scope for a five-year period for mobile offshore units covered
by such an agreement. The annual fee for the PSA includes all direct fees related to three regular annual surveys in addition to the increased fees of the intermediate (third annual) and the renewal survey (SPS). The class fee for the PSA is either defined as annual equal instalments or by instalments covering the respective scope of the survey per year as follows:
Option 1 – Annual cost with five equal instalments, whereby the extra cost of the intermediate and renewal surveys are averaged over the five-year agreement period
Option 2 – Annual cost reflected in the actual fee of the survey to be performed that year, with increased cost for the years when the intermediate and renewal surveys are to be carried out
For rigs going into lay-up, the PSA is to be revised as follows:
- The PSA is temporarily to be terminated for the lay-up period, as the regular class surveys are not to be carried out
- Revised fee: the costs of the annual surveys during lay-up will be invoiced from the local DNV GL station performing the an- nual lay-up surveys according to DNV GL standard rates
Rigs not operating under Periodical Service Agreements
For rigs going into lay-up and which are not regulated by the PSA, the annual class fee will represent the costs of the reduced annual lay-up survey to be invoiced from the local DNV GL sta- tion according to DNV GL standard rates.
Rigs re-entering into service
The costs of the re-commissioning survey will be invoiced from the DNV GL station performing re-commissioning survey ac- cording to DNV GL standard rates.
For rigs operating under a PSA, the agreement will be re-started when the rig goes into operation. For rigs operating under the PSA Option 1, any unpaid dividends of upcoming intermediate and/or renewal surveys will be included in the first year annual invoice after the rig has entered into operation.
