News 06 May, 2020 Ship Lay-Up During the Coronavirus Pandemic Dmitry Kisil Senior Loss Prevention Officer In light of volatile global markets and the impact of Coronavirus, Members may be considering taking a ship out of service until demand rises again. Download PDF Many companies already have practical knowledge of this aspect of ship operations, gained during previous shipping market downturns. Those who require general advice on lay-up best practice should first contact their Classification Societies, who may also be able to assist further with a dedicated lay-up support service. Furthermore, there are free, essential lay-up recommendations available, such as the DNV-GL publication . However, Members who need to develop a lay-up plan from the ground up and are new to this kind of vessel status may prefer to consult the comprehensive guidelines published by BIMCO in 2019. BIMCO’s helpful Ship Lay-Up Guide explains why a ship is placed into lay-up and the types of lay-up, as well as providing readers with information on appraisal, planning, procedures at the lay-up site and the reactivation process. The publication also contains a chapter detailing lay-up locations across the world. The Guide is supplemented by a 100-page Record of Lay-Up, a practical workbook covering all stages of lay-up, including: Planning and preparation Passage to the lay-up location Arrival checklists Recommended activities during lay-up (including periodic maintenance and lay-up records) Reactivation. Further details on the Guide and how to obtain a copy can be found via the BIMCO website For information on this topic, Members should contact the Club’s Loss Prevention department .