New ASCE Standard 77 Helps Minimize Risk in Dry Docking

Reston, Va. – Dry docking can be extremely challenging requiring communication and coordination among a variety of stakeholders to ensure the safety of the vessel and personnel. ASCE’s newest standard, Dry Dock Standard, ASCE/COPRI 77-22, looks to specifically address safety certification of dry docking facilities. Both the US Navy and the US Coast Guard have documentation certifying facilities that drydock their ships. However, there has been no commercial standard for certifying dry docks. Many dry dock owners and operators obtain “commercial certifications” from third-party engineers, yet these certifications are not performed to a standard and are typically focused on the structural capacity.

               Dry dock accidents have occurred many times over the last two decades, attributable to inadequate maintenance and inspections. The intent of this standard is to minimize the risk to personnel and the ships being drydocked. In addition, emphasis on maintenance and inspection provides the insight for facility owners and operators to enable repairs before the catastrophic loss of their capital assets.

This standard is intended for use by dry dock owners, Dockmasters, dry dock maintenance engineers, engineers engaged in dry dock inspection and certification, ship owners, and port engineers.

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