Guides

Field notes from a working master mariner, written for owners and superintendents.

Hold cleaning field guide ›
Sweep, sea-water wash, chemicals that failed, touch-up paint, and a home-built spray rig.

Drydock photos from Shanghai

My own photos from two drydockings in Shanghai, China: February 2025 and early 2026. These are Chinese yards, not Indonesian ones. Photos with faces, vessel names or IMO numbers are left out.

Side shell, boot-top and flat bottom along the dock wall rail. Shanghai, February 2025.
Shanghai, February 2025 · Side shell, boot-top and flat bottom along the dock wall rail.
Painted flat bottom on keel blocks, looking along the dock. Shanghai, February 2025.
Shanghai, February 2025 · Painted flat bottom on keel blocks, looking along the dock.
Propeller boss and blades rigged on chain blocks. Shanghai, February 2025.
Shanghai, February 2025 · Propeller boss and blades rigged on chain blocks.
Sea chest grating opened on a freshly painted hull. Shanghai, February 2025.
Shanghai, February 2025 · Sea chest grating opened on a freshly painted hull.
Anchor chains and shackles ranged by the keel blocks. Shanghai, February 2025.
Shanghai, February 2025 · Anchor chains and shackles ranged by the keel blocks.
Anchor chain links ranged on the dock floor for inspection. Shanghai, February 2025.
Shanghai, February 2025 · Anchor chain links ranged on the dock floor for inspection.
Rudder with zinc anodes, at night. Shanghai, early 2026.
Shanghai, early 2026 · Rudder with zinc anodes, at night.
Sea chest open, grating removed, barnacle fouling inside. Shanghai, early 2026.
Shanghai, early 2026 · Sea chest open, grating removed, barnacle fouling inside.
New anode welded on the hull bottom. Shanghai, early 2026.
Shanghai, early 2026 · New anode welded on the hull bottom.
Stern, rudder and propeller in primer, with scaffolding. Shanghai, early 2026.
Shanghai, early 2026 · Stern, rudder and propeller in primer, with scaffolding.
Bulbous bow surface after blasting. Shanghai, early 2026.
Shanghai, early 2026 · Bulbous bow surface after blasting.
Scaffolding rigged at the stern. Shanghai, early 2026.
Shanghai, early 2026 · Scaffolding rigged at the stern.

Photos: Hakan Köse. Location data removed.