
What is Ship Husbandry?
Ship maintenance is important to keep up with for all types of ships. This will help make sure that you do not run into any issues regarding immigration regulations, customs regulations, or even a crew change. Ship husbandry is a service that deals specifically with ship maintenance. This includes ship repairs, cleaning, and upkeep of the hull, the rigging, and the equipment.
Ship Maintenance
There are many different types of ships–such as naval ships, merchant ships, and cargo ships–and they all require different maintenance and repairs. These ships are built differently and require maintenance that is specific to their design. Maintaining your ship is incredibly important because you do not want to run into issues out at sea or when trying to dock. Many ships have to adhere to specific maintenance regulations in order to enter specific ports and countries.

Ship Maintenance and Repair Needs
Ship maintenance and repairs vary from small tasks to huge projects. There are many component that require regular upkeep and cleaning, and depending on your ship repair needs, can be very simple or more intricate. A ship husbandry crew will work on your requested maintenance needs to ensure that your ship meets its specific regulations.
Assessment
One major check that every ship should get done before departing on an overseas journey is an assessment procedure. This checks the general condition of the ship making sure that the equipment, rigging, hull, and more are up to date. The ship husbandry team will also check to make sure there are no cracks or leaks on the ship, so you don’t have to worry about water flowing into your vessel and you don’t contaminate the water around you. This will ensure that the ship is able to be out at sea.
Underwater Cleaning
Your crew will be able to tackle most general cleaning tasks, but some are required to be done by experts. This includes hull cleaning, propeller polishing, painting, and more. All of these are done to keep your ship looking nice and improves your ship’s speed. Organisms, dirt, and debris can get stuck underneath your ship, removing them allows your ship to move quicker in the water. Painting is done mainly for cosmetic reasons, but a seal can be used over the paint that helps prevent cracks from forming in your ship’s hull.
Vessel Repair
Repairing your ship is important, both for economic and cosmetic reasons. If you are aware of your ship’s repair needs when you get into port, the ship husbandry team will fix it for you. However, they will also check over your entire ship and fix any other unknown repairs as needed. Generally, this consists of welding. Welding helps seal your ship and prevent cracks and leaks from occurring.

Arrival and Departure Assistance
On top of cleaning and repair needs, a ship husbandry team can also help you coordinate your arrival and departure from port. This includes assisting with documents such as berth applications, pre-arrival attendance, and document submission. The team will submit all the necessary documents and reports to local authorities so you don’t run into delays when arriving or departing.
Looking for a reliable and experienced company to help you with all your ship husbandry needs? Sole Source Underwater is dedicated to proving high level ship husbandry services.