After 4 to 6 weeks at warm anchorage, what would you check before assuming the vessel can perform normally?
I wrote this after remembering my own VLCC experience at Teluk Semangka. We were used as storage for about 1.5 months, and the fouling was much heavier than expected.
With vessels delayed in warm Gulf waters, I am interested in practical experience from people who have actually dealt with this.
Have you seen long anchorage affect:
- Hull performance
- Propeller response
- Sea chest or strainer condition
- Cooling-water flow
- Main engine or generator cooling margin
- Speed / consumption claims later
I am also planning a follow-up on the commercial side. If anyone has seen biofouling turn into a charter-party dispute, off-hire argument, underwater cleaning issue, or speed / consumption claim, anonymised practical input would be very useful.
My view is simple - this should not be exaggerated, but after prolonged warm-water idling, clean-hull performance should be verified, not assumed.