Hold, tank and hull cleaning guides
Practical guides from the people who do the work — hull, hold and tank cleaning, in-water survey and the port conditions that decide how a job goes.
- All
- Cargo-specific cleaning
- Hold cleaning
- Hull cleaning
- Inspection & standards
- Planning & cost
- Tank cleaning
Tank cleaningGasoline, jet, naphtha, kerosene, ULSD: how cleanliness expectations differ by grade
Why different clean petroleum grades demand different levels of tank preparation, which parameters each is most sensitive to, and how to match the cleaning to the nominated cargo.
11 November 2026 · 2 min read
Hull cleaningHull cleaning at anchor vs alongside: what changes in planning, safety and productivity
The practical differences between cleaning a hull at anchorage and alongside a berth: access, current, visibility, cargo operations, permissions, cost and how to choose.
11 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
Preparing a vessel for underwater hull cleaning: isolations, permits and crew checklist
What the ship must isolate, notify and arrange so divers can clean the hull safely and without delay, with a practical checklist for the master and chief engineer.
10 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
Fuel oil to gasoil or ULSD: the sequence, and where sulphur comes back to bite
How to prepare a tanker from fuel oil to gasoil or ultra-low sulphur diesel, why sulphur pickup is the main risk, and the cleaning sequence that keeps the cargo on specification.
10 November 2026 · 2 min read
Tank cleaningMopping, spot cleaning and drying: the manual finish that decides the inspection
Why manual finishing after machine washing decides most tanker inspections, and how to strip, mop, spot clean and dry tanks so nothing is left for the inspector to find.
9 November 2026 · 2 min read
Hull cleaningDiver brush carts, cavitation, water jet or ROV: comparing in-water cleaning methods
How the main in-water hull cleaning methods work, which fouling and coatings each suits, and the trade-offs in speed, coating risk, capture and port acceptance.
9 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
Underwater hull cleaning step by step: from enquiry to final report
What actually happens before, during and after an in-water hull clean: enquiry, scoping, permits, ship preparation, inspection, cleaning, niche areas, propeller and the final report.
8 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
The slop tank: the tank everyone forgets in a changeover
Why slop tanks cause contamination and delays in dirty-to-clean changeovers, and how to manage slop capacity, decanting, cleaning and disposal so they don't undo the work.
8 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
Crude oil to clean products: direct changeover or intermediate cargo?
When a tanker can go straight from crude oil to a clean product, when an intermediate cargo is the better route, and how to decide using cargo history, coating, time and the next grade.
7 November 2026 · 2 min read
Hull cleaningUnderwater hull cleaning in Singapore: what the port rules actually allow
What Singapore's port rules allow for underwater cleaning and maintenance, how applications work, and how operators plan hull cleaning for ships calling Singapore.
7 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
Propeller polishing: how often, what it recovers and when it's a waste of money
What underwater propeller polishing does, how roughness costs efficiency, how often to polish, and when polishing is the wrong spend, from a practical owner's point of view.
6 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
Reading HM 50: turning the previous/next cargo matrix into a cleaning plan
How to use the Energy Institute's HM 50 guidance for tanker tank preparation as the starting point for a practical cleaning plan, and where the ship and charterer still need to add detail.
6 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
Demucking before a changeover: when tank bottoms need manual removal
When sediment, sludge and wax in tank bottoms mean washing alone will not work, how demucking is done safely, and how to fit it into a changeover plan.
5 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
IMO biofouling rules are becoming binding: what changes for owners and contractors
Where IMO biofouling regulation stands: the 2023 Guidelines, the in-water cleaning guidance, the move towards a mandatory framework, the related ISO and industry standards, and how to prepare.
5 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
Cleaning on the ballast passage: how riding crews handle changeovers at sea
How a riding squad joins a product tanker and carries out a DPP to CPP changeover during the ballast passage, what the ship needs to provide, and how weather, slops and safety are managed.
4 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
How in-water cleaning damages coatings, and how to prevent it
The ways in-water hull cleaning can damage antifouling and foul-release coatings, the warning signs, and the method choices and checks that keep the coating intact.
4 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
How long does a DPP to CPP changeover take? What drives the timeline
The factors that decide how long a dirty-to-clean changeover takes on a product tanker, and how to shorten it with planning, heat, people and parallel work.
3 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
Clean hull on arrival: Australia, New Zealand and Brazil biofouling rules
What Australia, New Zealand and Brazil expect from arriving ships on biofouling, what evidence to carry, and why cleaning before departure from your last port often makes sense.
3 November 2026 · 2 min read
Cargo-specific cleaningRemoving cement and clinker from cargo holds, before and after it sets hard
How to remove cement and clinker residue from bulk carrier holds — why timing matters, which chemicals work on hardened cement, cleaning frames and tank tops, and cement-to-grain procedure.
3 November 2026 · 4 min read
- Tank cleaning
Before you fix a clean cargo: the DPP to CPP changeover checklist for operators
A pre-fixture checklist for operators considering a clean cargo on a ship coming out of dirty trades: cargo history, specification, coating, time, team, slops and inspection standard.
2 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
How much fuel does hull fouling cost? What the evidence says and what it doesn't
What published research says about biofouling and fuel use, why the headline figures cannot simply be applied to your ship, and how to estimate the real cost using your own performance data.
2 November 2026 · 3 min read
- Tank cleaning
End-of-life tank coating: why it holds black oil and how to plan around it
Why cargo tank coatings near the end of their life absorb and hold dark cargo, how that affects a DPP to CPP changeover, and how to assess coating before fixing a sensitive clean cargo.
1 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
How to choose an underwater hull cleaning contractor: 12 questions to ask
Twelve questions that separate a reliable underwater hull cleaning contractor from one that damages coatings or delays the ship, covering method, capture, permits, safety, reporting and evidence.
1 November 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
Jet A-1 after dirty cargo: how charterers judge previous cargoes
Why jet fuel is the most demanding clean cargo after a DPP history, how charterers look at previous cargoes, and what tank preparation it takes to load Jet A-1 without contamination claims.
31 October 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
What does underwater hull cleaning cost? The factors behind every quote
Why two quotes for the same ship can differ so much: hull area, fouling level, niche areas, capture, port, access and reporting. How hull cleaning is priced and how to compare quotes fairly.
31 October 2026 · 3 min read
- Tank cleaning
Tank cleaning for shuttle and STS tankers working the Gulf of Oman
How tankers working ship-to-ship transfers and shuttle runs off Fujairah and Khor Fakkan can fit tank cleaning, grade changes and sludge removal into short gaps between cargoes.
30 October 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
Capture or no capture? How fouling rating decides the in-water cleaning method
What "cleaning with capture" means, how IMO guidance links capture to the fouling rating, what ports are starting to require, and the questions to ask any hull cleaning contractor about it.
30 October 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
Lines, pumps and heating coils: the parts of a changeover that fail inspections
Why cargo lines, pumps, stripping systems and heating coils cause more changeover failures than the tanks themselves, and how to flush, drain and verify every part of the system before a clean cargo.
29 October 2026 · 2 min read
- Hull cleaning
Leaving Gulf of Oman anchorages: hull cleaning and biosecurity before departure (Fujairah and Khor Fakkan)
Why ships leaving long waits off Fujairah and Khor Fakkan should inspect and clean before departure, what destination biosecurity rules expect, and how to fit the work into the last days at anchor.
29 October 2026 · 2 min read
- Tank cleaning
Failed tank inspection after a changeover: causes and fast recovery
Why product tankers fail tank inspection after a DPP to CPP changeover, where the residue usually hides, and how to recover quickly without losing the laycan.
28 October 2026 · 3 min read
- Hull cleaning
Returning to service after months at anchor: hull and propeller fouling on idle ships
What happens to a hull and propeller during weeks or months at anchor in warm water, what to inspect before the ship trades again, and how to plan cleaning so she leaves at full speed and clean for arrival rules.
28 October 2026 · 3 min read
- Hull cleaning
The complete guide to ship hull cleaning: methods, biofouling, fuel efficiency and maintenance
How in-water hull cleaning works, how fouling develops and is rated, what it does to fuel use, how to pick a method for your coating, the rules on capture, and how to plan cleaning between dockings.
27 October 2026 · 7 min read
- Tank cleaning
DPP to CPP changeover: a practical planning guide for product tanker operators
How to plan a dirty-to-clean changeover on a product tanker: the cargo pair, the cleaning plan, lines and pumps, timing, slops, inspection standards and the records that protect you if a cargo goes off-spec.
27 October 2026 · 5 min read
- Planning & cost
Can cargo holds be cleaned during the voyage? Cleaning at sea and at anchorage before the load port
When and how bulk carrier holds can be cleaned at sea or at anchorage, what MARPOL allows for wash water, weather and safety limits, and how to plan cleaning en route to the loading port.
15 October 2026 · 4 min read
- Planning & cost
How to cut hold cleaning delays, off-hire and demurrage on bulk carriers
Practical ways shipowners and operators reduce hold cleaning time and avoid losing a day to failed inspections, off-hire or missed laycans, from planning to mobilising shore gangs and riding crews.
15 October 2026 · 4 min read
- Planning & cost
Can a riding crew clean bulk carrier holds? How riding squads work, what they cost and when they pay off
How riding crews clean bulk carrier cargo holds on passage — documentation, team size, what they can and can't do, joining at ports like Singapore or Fujairah, and how they save port days.
14 October 2026 · 5 min read
Planning & costCleaning cargo hold upper frames without scaffolding: how rope access works in bulk carrier holds
How rope access technicians clean cargo hold upper frames, brackets and bulkheads above 7 metres without scaffolding or cherry pickers, how many you need, IRATA, and whether it's safer.
14 October 2026 · 5 min read
- Planning & cost
How long does bulk carrier hold cleaning take? Realistic timings and manpower
Realistic hold cleaning timings for bulk carriers — per hold and per ship, by previous cargo and cleanliness standard — plus how many people you need to clean five holds and what slows the job down.
13 October 2026 · 4 min read
- Planning & cost
How much does bulk carrier hold cleaning cost? What drives the price and what a quote should include
What bulk carrier hold cleaning costs depends on more than the number of holds. How hold cleaning is priced (per hold, per day, riding crew), what affects the quote, and who pays.
13 October 2026 · 5 min read
- Inspection & standards
Why bulk carrier holds fail inspection, and the 12 failures surveyors find most
The most common reasons bulk carrier holds fail a cargo hold inspection, from residue and loose rust to moisture, smell and infestation, plus what surveyors look for and how to pre-inspect.
12 October 2026 · 5 min read
- Hold cleaning
Hold cleaning chemicals: alkaline vs acid, dilution, dwell time and when to use them
A practical guide to bulk carrier hold cleaning chemicals — which chemical removes coal, petcoke and cement, alkaline vs acid cleaners, dilution, dwell time, rinsing, MARPOL and PPE.
12 October 2026 · 5 min read
- Cargo-specific cleaning
Coal hold cleaning: removing coal dust, stains and residue for the next cargo
How to clean coal residue and coal dust from bulk carrier holds, remove coal stains from tank tops, and what each next cargo (grain, fertiliser, cement, iron ore) actually demands.
11 October 2026 · 5 min read
- Cargo-specific cleaning
Cleaning holds after sulphur: washing, limewashing and stopping the corrosion
Why sulphur attacks cargo holds, why the IMSBC Code says fresh water and not seawater, how to limewash before loading, and how to clean and prepare holds after a sulphur cargo.
11 October 2026 · 5 min read
- Inspection & standards
How to prepare cargo holds for grain: a grain-clean checklist that passes survey
Preparing bulk carrier holds for a grain cargo — what grain clean means, how much time to allow, the checklist the Chief Officer should run before calling the surveyor, and the usual reasons ships fail.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
- Cargo-specific cleaning
Petcoke hold cleaning: why it's so hard to remove and how to get holds back to grain clean
Why petroleum coke sticks to cargo holds, which chemicals work, how to clean petcoke from frames and brackets, and a realistic petcoke-to-grain hold cleaning procedure.
10 October 2026 · 6 min read
- Hold cleaning
How to clean a bulk carrier cargo hold: the full procedure, step by step
A practical bulk carrier hold cleaning procedure — from planning and dry sweeping to washing, chemicals, fresh water rinse, drying and the pre-inspection — in the order that actually works.
9 October 2026 · 8 min read
- Inspection & standards
Hospital clean, grain clean, normal clean, shovel clean, load on top: hold cleanliness standards explained
What hospital clean, grain clean, normal clean, shovel clean and load on top actually mean, who decides which one applies, and what happens when a hold fails.
9 October 2026 · 6 min read
- Hull cleaning
In-water survey and UWILD: what the difference actually is
The two are used interchangeably and they are not the same thing. What each is for, what makes a vessel eligible, and what must be true before the surveyor arrives.
25 August 2026 · 3 min read