WHAT IS A DRY DOCK?
Ocean-going vessels are taken into these boat garages to keep them shipshape
WORDS AILSA HARVEY
Ships weigh thousands of tonnes, with the average weight of a cargo ship being 165,000 tonnes. These hefty vessels are incredibly difficult to remove from the water once they’re in use. But just as road vehicles need servicing and repairs, ships need vital maintenance. In order to gain access to the parts of the boat usually submerged in water, they’re put into specialised docks called dry docks.
Dry docks begin fully flooded so that ships can enter them at the same water level as the surrounding sea. But once the vessel is inside, the dock is drained of all the water so the boat can be inspected, repaired and cleaned. Just as a car undergoes its MOT, ships are scheduled for dry docking every few years. This reduces the chance of any serious damage being done over time and keeps boats in service for longer.