Tarrafal Port · CVTAR

In-Water Class Survey at Tarrafal Port

Class attendance without opening a dry dock

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Tell us the vessel, the port and the window. Scoped reply, usually the same working day.

Cleanship Marine delivers class-approved in-water surveys at Tarrafal Port, São Nicolau, with high-definition live video to a surface monitoring station, diver-to-surveyor communications and a full report package for the class file.

Classification societies accept in-water survey in place of drydocking for many vessels and inspection scopes, provided the work is done by an approved diving contractor to a defined procedure with the surveyor able to see the structure in real time. This is one of the better ports on the coverage list for in-water survey work: clarity supports the wide shots and the close detail a surveyor needs, and the record that comes out of it stands up in the class file.

Deep water close to the shore and no river runoff give Tarrafal clear water for survey work. For the ferries and coasters that call here, that means a class in-water survey can be done without moving to a bigger port, provided the surveyor can attend. We agree the programme with class first, and because the port is small we plan the survey around the ferry and fishing traffic so the quay stays clear.

What it gets you

Survey requirement satisfied without opening a dry dock or taking the vessel off hire
Surveyor sees the structure live rather than reviewing a recording after the fact
Defects located precisely against hull reference marks, not described approximately
A report package built for the class file, not a video dump

Working conditions at Tarrafal

Tarrafal is on the south-west coast of São Nicolau, in the lee of the island's mountains, and the sea bed drops away quickly offshore, so there is deep, clear ocean water close to the port. The trade wind is broken by the island but can come down off the high ground in gusts. The port is small and its quay is shared by ferries, coasters and the fishing fleet, so in-water work is fitted around them or done at anchor off the town.

Where we work: Port quay · Fishing boat moorings · Anchorage off Tarrafal
Vessels we see here: Tuna fishing vessels · Inter-island ferries · General cargo coasters

What we do at Tarrafal

Survey programme agreed in advance with the class society and the surveyor attending at Tarrafal
Hull plating, welds, sea chests, rudder, propeller and stern gear inspected to the agreed scope
Live high-definition video to the surface station with two-way diver-to-surveyor communications
Hull markings and reference points confirmed so the surveyor can locate every feature precisely
Diving permission and any environmental clearance cleared with ENAPOR – Portos de Cabo Verde
Full report package with video, stills and findings issued for the class file

Planning the window at Tarrafal

The trade-wind and swell season governs the calendar at Tarrafal Port, with the strongest trade winds from roughly December to May, and a short rainy season from August to October. The islands sit in open ocean, so a port's exposure depends on which side of its island it faces: the lee-side harbours stay calm while the trade wind blows, but long-period swell from North Atlantic storms reaches the north and west coasts in winter, and the late-summer tropical waves that pass through here can turn into storms. Water clarity here is good by regional standards, so the operation can be properly documented on video as it happens — an advantage that turns a cleaning job into usable condition evidence at no extra mobilisation cost.

Work is taken at the port quay, fishing boat moorings and anchorage off Tarrafal, and which of those a vessel ends up at changes the dive plan more than the season does. Teams mobilise via São Nicolau (SNE) or São Vicente (VXE), so give us the ETA as early as you have it — the travel is the flexible part, the approvals and the working window are not.

What we typically find at Tarrafal

The working fleet here spends most of its life at low speed in warm water, so growth is heavy, mixed and reaches the hard calcareous stage sooner than on deep-sea tonnage. Left too long it starts damaging the coating rather than just slowing the vessel.

Clearer water means the fouling state can be assessed properly before any tooling is selected, and the assessment can be shown to you rather than described.

Standard scope of work

Included as standard on every in-water class survey attendance, wherever the vessel is. Anything outside it is quoted separately and flagged before mobilisation, never added afterwards.

Hull structure inspection: Shell plating, welds, bilge keels and openings inspected with continuous video and commentary, with cleaning of areas as needed for meaningful viewing.
Rudder and steering gear: Rudder plating, pintles, bearings and clearances inspected and, where required, measured.
Propeller and stern arrangement: Propeller, boss, rope guard and stern tube seal inspected for damage, erosion and leakage.
Sea chests and openings: Sea chests, gratings, valves and overboard discharges inspected and recorded.
Anodes and coating: Sacrificial anode wastage assessed and coating condition mapped for planning the next dry docking.

Full In-Water Class Survey service details

How we deliver it at Tarrafal

1
Scope and vessel details
Tell us the vessel, her particulars, the coating specification and the window at Tarrafal. We come back with a defined scope, a crew size and a duration we will stand behind. Where the conditions here will not support what has been asked for, we say so at this stage rather than after mobilisation.
2
Permits and approvals
ENAPOR – Portos de Cabo Verde approves the work alongside the local harbour master, and at a state port that conversation is quicker but less formal — it is worth having in writing. Diving permission, terminal approval and any environmental clearance for in-water work are handled by us, not left with the agent to chase.
3
Mobilisation to Tarrafal
Divers, compressors, brush carts and cameras mobilise via São Nicolau (SNE) or São Vicente (VXE). Where a vessel is also calling at Mindelo, one mobilisation is normally sized to cover both.
4
Safety setup and the dive
The vessel is secured for diving — main engine, shaft and thrusters immobilised, sea suctions confirmed shut, permit agreed with the master. Teams work under surface supervision with continuous diver communications and video throughout.
5
Report and handover
A completion report covering in-water class survey is issued with before-and-after imagery, coating and anode condition and anything found that you should know about. The findings are discussed with the vessel rather than emailed and forgotten.

Tarrafal Port at a glance

UN/LOCODE: CVTAR
Port type: State Port
Island: São Nicolau
Country: Cape Verde
Water body: Atlantic Ocean
Port authority: ENAPOR – Portos de Cabo Verde
Main cargoes: Fishing catch and canned tuna, General cargo, Food and supplies
Crew mobilisation: São Nicolau (SNE) / São Vicente (VXE)
Services here: Hull Cleaning

Frequently asked — In-Water Survey at Tarrafal

Do you provide in-water class survey at Tarrafal Port?

Yes. Cleanship Marine works Tarrafal Port (CVTAR) in São Nicolau, Cape Verde, covering the port quay, fishing boat moorings and anchorage off Tarrafal. Teams mobilise via São Nicolau (SNE) or São Vicente (VXE) with the full spread.

Can a class in-water survey be done at Tarrafal, or should we go to Mindelo?

It can be done at Tarrafal — the water is deep and clear close to the port. The main question is the surveyor's travel and the quay schedule. If the surveyor is based in Mindelo, combining the survey with a Mindelo call can be simpler; we will advise which is better for your vessel.

Can in-water class survey be done while the vessel works cargo at Tarrafal?

Yes. Conditions here are good enough that the dive runs alongside cargo operations without either holding the other up, and the work is documented on video as it goes. The vessel stays on hire throughout, and there is no diversion and no dry dock. We scope against the conditions at Tarrafal and tell you honestly whether the window you have is enough.

Do you need a diving permit from ENAPOR – Portos de Cabo Verde?

Yes, and we obtain it. Diving permission from ENAPOR – Portos de Cabo Verde, terminal approval where the berth requires it, and any environmental clearance for in-water work are arranged as part of the job rather than left with the agent. The master's permit to work and the immobilisation of machinery are agreed on board before anyone enters the water.

What is underwater visibility like at Tarrafal?

Visibility at Tarrafal Port is very good, with deep, clear ocean water close to the port and no river runoff, and the trade-wind and swell season sets the outer limits of the calendar. How the tide and sea state shape the dive plan is set out in full in the working-conditions section on this page.

Which vessels do you carry out in-water class survey on at Tarrafal?

Tuna fishing vessels, Inter-island ferries and General cargo coasters — the traffic at Tarrafal Port runs to fishing catch and canned tuna, general cargo, food and supplies, so those are the profiles we see most. The scope is sized to the vessel, not to a standard package.

How quickly can a team mobilise to Tarrafal?

Divers and equipment mobilise via São Nicolau (SNE) or São Vicente (VXE). Give us the ETA and the window and we will confirm what is achievable rather than promise a date we cannot hold. Where the vessel also calls at Mindelo or Palmeira, one mobilisation is often sized to cover both.

What does in-water class survey at Tarrafal cost?

It depends on the vessel's dimensions and wetted area, the fouling state found, the coating specification and the working window available at Tarrafal. We would rather scope it properly and give you a specific figure than quote a headline rate that changes once the work starts. Send the details and the window at Tarrafal and you get a scoped price, usually the same working day.

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