FAQs
General
How do I reset my password?
At the bottom of the sign-in panel, click Forgot Password and an email with a link will be sent to your User email. Click the link to reset your password.
Something is not quite right, can I reset Vessel-Check?
Initially a hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R) which ensures your cache (computer memory) is updated with the latest software. Then you could log out and then log in and then a hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R). If problems continue, please Contact Support.
Registration and Subscription
What does it cost?
Vessel-Check is FREE for vessel managers. Regulators, Ports and marine title holders need to contact admin@vessel-check.com to discuss your needs, have a free evaluation and obtain a service proposal.
Can I add more Users to my account?
Vessel managers can register for free and during the registration process will select their Company (organisation), their registration approval will go to the Company’s UserAdmin for approval. So each User has their own account and their account is connected to a Company which can have multiple Users.
Other customers need to contact admin@vessel-check.com.
My registration is still pending, when will it change?
If your registration is pending, the Company (organisation) you selected when you created your profile has an existing Vessel-Check UserAdmin. A UserAdmin needs to log into Vessel-Check and approve your access. If you don’t know who is the UserAdmin or they have left the company, please Contact Support.
Regulators, Ports & Marine Title Holders
I am having some issues getting the most out of Vessel-Check and would like to talk to a Vessel-Check representative.
No problems, you are our gold standard clients and we want to help you as much as possible, please contact your Vessel-Check representative or email admin@vessel-check.com and we will setup a virtual meeting and cover your needs, all at no charge.
How do I find a specific vessel?
The best way to locate a specific vessel is using her registered name (if you only have the IMO number or are not sure of the name an internet search will assist you to find the details), Navigate to the Transit Tab and type the first 3 or 4 letters into the search bar towards the top left (wait for the blue wheel to stop spinning under Nominations). Now you can use the filter options and extend the time out to 1 month, 6 months and even go back in time to find previous nominations. If you still can’t find the vessel, this means she does not have a port nomination for your designated ports. It might be worth checking with a vessel representative and see if they have a nomination for one of your ports – what you need is the port name/un code and entry date.
The vessel contacts don’t make sense, what’s wrong?
The contact information contained in the Vessel Particulars is automatically obtained from the vessel AIS information. It is possible that this information is outdated, incomplete or wrong, please send an email to admin@vessel-check.com with any updated information, supporting evidence and we will rectify the data in our database. Alternatively, the information can be updated within the vessels onboard system (please consult the vessels AIS system manufactures manual for details on how to do this). Updated information may take several days to be updated within the AIS providers database before being available to Vessel-Check
How do I understand the calculated risk scores?
The best way to understand the calculated risk scores is to firstly find the particular vessel and specific port nomination in the Transit tab. Open up the menu on the left (click the triangle in the pop up) and towards the bottom is the Risk Reports button, select “Detailed Risk Report” and the PDF report will be downloaded to your computer. The report shows how each risk metric is calculated and guides you to any problem areas. The Biofouling Risk section of the Knowledge Base explains the logic and thresholds associated with each metric.
Why have the “Vessel Operator Risk Report”?
This is provided to Regulator’s as this is the report provided to Vessel Managers, giving you intelligence on what Vessel Managers can view. It can be useful to look at both reports in dealing with issues from Vessel Managers.
Why can’t I re-calculate a risk score for a vessel’s port nomination?
Risk scores can only be re-calculated before the vessel arrives into its designated port nomination This arrival time is obtained from our AIS data provider (or via a vessel user input through a manual nomination). Depending on vessel movements and individual port situations, it is possible that the real world and AIS information is slightly out.
How do I override the Overall Risk Assessment score?
The Overall Risk score is an average of the 7 risk metrics. To change the Overall score, adjust one or more of the metrics (add a comment as a record) and re-run the risk engine by pressing the Recalculate risk button. The override is documented in both the “Vessel Operator Risk Report” and the “Detailed Risk Report”.
Why does a vessel have unique (and possibly different) risk calculations for port nominations?
Each port nomination for each vessel is “sand boxed” and is a unique data set, providing Regulators and Vessel Managers a historical record of every port entry and associated risk calculation for each vessel for that nomination. Additionally, as a vessel moves between ports it is assessed based on the user defined information relative to the risk metric thresholds, and a component of their information may have changed into another threshold between port visits
What is the LOG feature for?
The Log feature allows regulator to make notes and upload documents relating to any specific port nomination. This is “sandboxed” with the data for the relevant port nomination allowing for efficient management of biosecurity information. Unlike the “Flagged Vessels” feature Log’s cannot be shared with other Regulators (organisations).
How do I use Vessel-Check as a historical resource?
Vessel-Check has been designed for this purpose, all of your port nominations are easily available in the portal (see FAQ, How do I find a specific vessel?), plus the advanced analytics in the REPORTS tab is very useful for reports and tables across a broad range of aspects – this data is also easily download-able in CSV form for further manipulation.
Can I change my designated ports?
Yes, this is a very simple process, please contact your Vessel-Check representative or email admin@vessel-check.com and we can discuss your needs and provide a proposal for your consideration. Your original Service agreement will have notes on port fees.
Can I change my Users?
Of course, similar to your designated ports, please contact your Vessel-Check representative or email admin@vessel-check.com and we can discuss your needs and provide a proposal for your consideration. Your original Service agreement will have notes on user fees.
What are the Operational Indicators for?
The 3 Operational Indicators are not influenced by a vessel management practices, hence they are not part of a vessel’s risk score. They are only available for regulators and provide additional potential insights. They are described in detail in the Transit section of this Knowledge Base
Vessel Managers / Operators
I have a good paper-based system, why should I use Vessel-Check?
Vessel-Check will save you time, reduce regulatory burden and help you manage your vessel in line with IMO guidelines. Once a vessel’s profile is complete, simply update the record book with records of management actions and let the automation in the portal do the work for you. It is comprehensive, conforms to IMO guidelines, is accessible by subscribed regulators and can output risk reports. You can add users to your vessels facilitating information sharing and allowing redundancy. It is easy to use, globally accessible, provides document storage and is cloud based, eliminating the need for paper based systems. Plus you can output as PDF your vessel’s profile and risk assessment for provision to others not part of Vessel-Check.
What is included in the free subscription?
Our free subscription provides all of the functionality to manage biofouling and in line with IMO guidelines. Additionally we have a ballast water section (coming soon) that provides an basic overview of your system and management practices. It allows subscribed regulators to view your information when the vessel has a port nomination for ports that they monitor. It also allows the production & download of PDF reports (risk reports and data reports) that can be sent to non-subscribed regulators and other parties.
It allows unlimited vessels and users.
It has a data document storage limit of 100MB / vessel, with no picture or video storage allowance. Additional storage can easily & flexibly be purchased at a rate of USD$0.005 / 100MB / vessel / month.
Why would I go for a paid Vessel-Check vessel(s) subscription? (coming soon)
Very simply, the benefits are large, the cost is very small and there are no lock in contracts.
You can see a comparison of the features, benefits and costs on our Subscription Comparison page. Meanwhile, if you would like to know more about this service please contact admin@vessel-check.com.
What happens to my information, is it secure and private?
Yes, your information is very secure and private (see our Technical Information for more details). The only people who can view your information are your Users (approved and managed by you) and regulators that need to see your vessel’s profile; i.e. when one of your vessel’s nominates (via AIS) one of their ports as a destination. You can always print to PDF your information (and risk reports) via the reporting function.
Can I add more Users to my account?
Vessel Managers can register for free.
During the registration process, a User will select / create their Company (organisation) and the request for registration will be emailed to the Company’s UserAdmin for approval. If the Company has no Vessel-Check Users, the first request will be checked by Vessel-Check and when approved be made the Company UserAdmin.
So, each User has their own account and their account is connected to a Company which can have multiple Users.
Other customers need to contact admin@vessel-check.com.
Our UserAdmin has left the Company and I have tried to register, but my account is pending, what can I do?
This is easily fixed, please contact admin@vessel-check.com outlining the situation along with evidence that you belong to the Company and we will get you registered.
I have tried to “+ REGISTER VESSEL” and haven’t received the approval and/or can’t see the vessel on my Fleet page, what’s going on?
The process can take up to 24 hours if we need to check and verify your request. If you know the vessel has been registered on Vessel-Check, she will have a UserAdmin(s), who needs to approve your request. If you still need assistance please contact admin@vessel-check.com outlining the situation.
How many niche’s should I define?
Vessel-Check is designed to reduce administrative burden and to help you manage biofouling in line with IMO guidelines. The IMO guidelines on biofouling is an excellent resource outlining all aspects of biofouling. Should you have a vessel specific BMP (Biofouling Management Plan) the niches and actions will be documented in the plan. Most vessels have at least the following niche’s; hull, propeller, rudder, sea chests and an engine cooling system; and often several to many more.
How do I obtain a vessel risk assessment without a fixed port nomination?
The manual nomination process is best used in this situation – bearing in mind that the nomination you create cannot be deleted. You should have a good idea of the intended destination port and expected arrival day so that an accurate risk assessment can be calculated.
I have completed my vessel’s profile and how do I get a risk calculation?
Risk calculations are initiated as soon as a vessel is registered on Vessel-Check by a User and when it has a valid port nomination (future dated and for ports monitored by Vessel-Check). The risk calculation are also re-run every 24 hours so that new information that you add will be included in the new calculation. Regulatory agencies can also recalculate your risk score at any time for the ports that they are monitoring.
How do I make sense of the risk score?
See the FAQ’s below, outlining each of the metrics and why they are delivering a high score
Why is my Biofouling Management Plan a high risk?
Either the age of the plan is greater than 5 ½ years OR there is no BMP document uploaded into this section
Why is my Hull Husbandry a high risk?
This metric only relates to external niches and the records in the Biofouling Record Book. All external niches need;
\1. management actions in the Management Planning tab, and
\2. records in the Record Book, and
\3. Documentation in the Record Book, uploaded as attachments.
Additionally, the dates in the Record Book are measured against the port nomination entry date and compared to Regulator prescribed thresholds. The system default thresholds are outlined in the link above.
Why is my Niche Management a high risk?
In the Management Planning tab, all defined niche’s need management actions. The Status indicator will be red for niche’s without management actions.
Why is my Antifoulant Coating a high risk?
There are 3 possible reasons;
\1. the coating is in the last quarter of its life, or
\2. there is no AFC document uploaded into this section, or
\3. niche’s that are expected to have an AFC applied, have not been selected.
Why is my Layup Period a high risk?
Layup’s can be characterised by reduced crewing and/or machinery shutdowns. These are recorded in the Operating Profile tab. The portal will calculate the total (cumulative) layup period in days from the most recent cleaning action (drydock, in-water clean or in-water inspection) and compare it against Regulator prescribed thresholds. The system default thresholds are outlined in the link above.
Why is my External Niche Implementation a high risk?
The implementation metrics (External and Internal) relate to the record book and are a check to see if you have done what you said you were going to do within the time frame you have planned as part of your biofouling management. That is, the management actions and interval’s defined in Management Planning need a matching Biofouling Record Book entry. Importantly, in the Record Book you need to ensure you select all relevant niches for that management action. For example a Dry-dock cleaning Record Book entry would typically apply to all niches.
Why is my Internal Niche Implementation a high risk?
This metric is included when “The Vessel has an Internal Sea Water System” check box is set to “Yes” in the Management Planning tab (this is the default setting).
If there are no internal sea water systems, set the check box to “No” and the metric will return a low risk.
When the box is “Yes”, you need to:
\1. ADD a “Seawater intakes and internal seawater cooling systems” niche in the Management Planning tab, and
\2. ADD a Management Action for that niche in the Management Planning tab, and
\3. ADD (or edit) a Record Book entry to document that the management action for the relevant niche has been undertaken in the time frame you have planned as part of the vessels biofouling management
Please note; ensure All internal niches have actions and ALL actions have Record Book entries
Can I use Vessel-Check for vessels without IMO numbers?
Yes, it is a simple process, please go to the Registering Non-IMO Vessels in the Knowledge Base.
I am a Service Provider, engaged by a Vessel Manager (Operator) to help them with managing their vessels biofouling, how do I access Vessel-Check and my clients vessels?
Create your own account by Registering on Vessel-Check. Then login and look for the “+ REGISTER VESSEL” button. If the vessel is registered in Vessel-Check, the vessel UserAdmin will need to approve your request. If the vessel has never been registered in Vessel-Check your request comes through to us for checking – we will need appropriate documentation from either the registered owner or operator of the vessel to approve your access to the vessel’s profile.
Can I change my vessel(s) subscription level?
Yes, easily and simply. We will be launching an inexpensive and highly featured subscription option soon and all details will be available on our website. If you would like to know about this service now, please contact admin@vessel-check.com.