Drydock procurement
How to compare shipyard quotes without comparing apples and oranges
What to normalize before choosing a shipyard: items, currencies, assumptions, options, and the real total.
6 min read
Three quotes for the same drydock can differ because of price, but also because of what each shipyard decided to include, exclude, or price as optional. The lowest total on the cover page is rarely the lowest real cost.
01
Bring every proposal to the same item grid
Map each line of every proposal to the items of your specification. Lines that do not match anything are supplier additions; items with no line are gaps that need a question before the comparison means anything.
02
Fix currency and exchange rate
When proposals arrive in different currencies, record the exchange rate used for each one and convert to the project currency. Keep the original value too, so the comparison can be explained later.
03
Read the assumptions, not only the totals
Compare dock days, services included, payment terms, warranty, and the unit rates for likely extras.
- Items included in another line
- Optional items and supplier additions
- Dock days and services such as power and cranes
- Unit rates for steel, valves, and other growth items
04
Record why the winner won
Approve the choice formally and keep the comparison as it was on the day of the decision. When the final cost is reviewed, the team can see what was known and why that shipyard was selected.