Identify machinery and service scope
Describe engines, pumps, propulsion systems, hydraulics and auxiliary equipment serviced. Separate component overhaul in the shop from onboard installation and emergency field repairs. Identify whether the contractor supplies replacement parts, recommends modifications or certifies performance. A contractor working on a single component may still be exposed to allegations involving a much larger vessel or interrupted operation, making the maximum vessel values relevant to the review.
Consider the equipment and the resulting allegation
Discuss customer property in custody, damage during removal or installation, completed operations and testing. Ship repairers liability, general liability and professional liability can address different concerns, depending on the services and forms. Review any sea-trial involvement and who operates the vessel during testing. Product warranties and performance commitments should be examined separately from insurance; a promise to repair defective work does not establish coverage for that cost or for consequential claims.
Document custody and technical decisions
Provide sample work orders, machinery types, customer contracts, subcontracted services and procedures for tracking components. Explain how tolerances, inspections, test results and customer approvals are recorded. Identify who specifies parts and approves deviations from the original repair scope. For mobile service crews, include transit, tools and equipment carried aboard vessels. If the business expands into a new propulsion technology or vessel class, review the change before treating it as an ordinary extension of existing operations.
Questions worth asking
Are customer components covered while in the workshop?
Check the applicable property or liability arrangement, custody terms and values. The contractor's own property insurance may not automatically insure customer machinery.
Why disclose trial runs?
Testing can place personnel in operational control and expose the entire vessel. The insurer needs to understand the location, duration and responsibilities involved.