Maritime inspection · Italy
Ship Thickness Measurement at the Port of Augusta, Sicily
Augusta is a deep natural harbour on Sicily's east coast, serving the refineries and chemical plants of the Priolo and Melilli industrial area. Crude carriers, product tankers, chemical ships and gas carriers queue at its roadstead and berths. Owners gauge tank steel here before surveys, sales and charters. Atlantis NDT flies a thickness measurement team in from India to the ship, and the visit is planned around cargo operations, gas-free status and the terminal's rules.
Tankers waiting in a sheltered roadstead
Ships that arrive ahead of their berth can lie in the protected bay for days, giving superintendents a window to gauge ballast tanks and deck steel before cargo operations begin or after they finish.
Chemical and gas carriers beside crude ships
Besides crude and product tankers, the area draws chemical carriers and gas ships, each with its own tank materials and entry rules that the gauging plan must respect from the first day.
Enhanced survey programme work in one place
Many ships calling here are tankers of an age where renewal and intermediate surveys require thickness reports in class formats, so gauging at Augusta supports survey planning directly.
Inspection services for ships at Augusta
Each service has its own page with the method, the class requirements and what the report contains.
Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement (UTM)
Hull, tank, deck and bulkhead gauging recorded on the class thickness-measurement formats, with sketches and corrosion flagged against the allowable margins.
ExploreSpecial Survey Thickness Measurement
Gauging for the 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25-year special (renewal) surveys and intermediate surveys, plus pre-docking steel estimates.
ExploreCAS (Condition Assessment Scheme)
Thickness measurement and survey support for the IMO Condition Assessment Scheme, and what CAS asks of an older tanker today.
ExploreCAP Thickness Measurement
Gauging and close-up survey data for a Condition Assessment Programme, the voluntary class service charterers ask for on older tankers and bulk carriers.
ExploreESP Gauging
Thickness measurement and close-up survey support for oil tankers, chemical tankers and bulk carriers under the ESP Code.
ExploreHull Structural Integrity
Substantial and excessive corrosion, pitting, grooving, buckling and fatigue cracks, with magnetic particle and penetrant crack detection.
ExploreShip Piping Inspection
Wall-thickness gauging of cargo, ballast, fuel, sea-water and fire-main piping, with minimum-wall checks and isometric sketches.
ExploreScrubber Piping Inspection
EGCS wash-water and overboard discharge piping, the hull penetration area and scrubber welds, checked between dockings.
ExploreIHM (Inventory of Hazardous Materials)
IHM Part I surveys, sampling and maintenance for the EU Ship Recycling Regulation and the Hong Kong Convention.
ExploreMarine NDT Services
Every NDT method we use on ships, from visual inspection and MPI to PAUT and ACFM, chosen by the defect you are looking for.
ExploreThe port of Augusta: bay, breakwaters and the Priolo industrial area
Augusta occupies a large natural bay on the Ionian coast of Sicily, protected from the open sea by long breakwaters and entered through channels at either end. The harbour is one of the largest sheltered anchorages in the central Mediterranean, and part of the shoreline is a naval base. Industrial quays and offshore-style jetties serve the plants of the Priolo and Melilli area, while the commercial port of Augusta handles general cargo and bulk. Together with Catania, Augusta forms the Eastern Sicilian Sea port system under a single authority.
Tankers define the port. Crude oil arrives for the refineries, refined products and chemicals leave by sea, and gas carriers and chemical ships complete the picture. For this reason Augusta is a port where ships are often large, deep-drafted and carrying cargoes that impose strict conditions on what can be done aboard. A superintendent who wants steel readings must plan around ship-to-shore transfers, cargo hose connections and the terminal's permit regime, and will usually want the work finished before a ship is released to sail.
The sheltered bay changes how inspection is planned. A ship waiting for a berth can lie at anchor in relative calm, and in settled weather a launch can reach it without much delay. Strong winds from the east or north-east can still make the outer approaches uncomfortable and slow the movement of pilots and launches. There are no tidal restrictions to speak of on the Mediterranean scale, so timing is governed by cargo, berth availability and the terminal's rules rather than by water levels. Industrial berths are often fully booked, so owners rely on agents to secure inspection time.
Where gauging happens around the Augusta bay
Augusta is an industrial and anchorage port rather than a ship repair port, and the realistic place for gauging is afloat. At industrial jetties, a tanker alongside has its ballast tanks, cargo tanks after washing and degassing, deck plating and pipework available when the terminal permits. At the anchorage, a ship waiting for its berth or between cargoes can be reached by launch, provided entry permits and gas-free certificates are in place and the weather holds.
Where a ship needs steel renewal, the docking usually happens at a yard in Malta, elsewhere in Sicily or on the mainland, and Augusta then serves as the measurement point before the passage. Gauging at the bay gives the technical team an early thickness record, which can be compared with earlier surveys to show where wastage is concentrated. The result is a steel renewal estimate that the yard can plan from facts rather than from assumptions made at the end of the voyage.
- Industrial tanker jetties: ballast and washed cargo tanks, main deck and cargo piping, subject to terminal permits and the master's agreement
- Augusta roadstead: ships waiting for a berth or between cargoes, reached by launch in settled weather
- Commercial quays: general cargo and bulk ships working at the town side of the harbour
- Lay-by positions inside the bay for ships idle between charters, suited to a longer programme
- Nearby yards in Malta and elsewhere in Sicily used for dockings after the gauging results are known
Thickness measurement through the survey cycle at Augusta
Every renewal survey asks for more thickness measurement than the last, and for oil tankers, chemical tankers and bulk carriers the ESP Code adds close-up survey on top. The table is the usual shape of the work; the class rules and the surveyor set the exact extent, which is why the measurement plan for a job at Augusta is agreed in writing before mobilisation.
| Survey | When it falls | What the thickness measurement usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Annual survey | Every year, within three months of the anniversary date | General examination. Gauging where the surveyor finds suspect areas or where substantial corrosion was recorded at an earlier survey. |
| Intermediate survey | In place of the second or third annual survey | Suspect areas, and on older ships and ESP ships selected ballast and cargo spaces with close-up survey; the extent grows with age. |
| Renewal survey No. 1 | Around 5 years | The first full baseline: suspect areas and selected plating and stiffeners, usually with modest steel renewal. |
| Renewal survey No. 2 | Around 10 years | Wider gauging of deck, bottom and side plating, transverse sections across the cargo area on ESP ships, and more close-up survey. |
| Renewal survey No. 3 | Around 15 years | Extensive gauging of cargo and ballast tank structure and more transverse sections. The survey most likely to turn up steel renewal. |
| Renewal survey No. 4 and later | Around 20 and 25 years | Gauging extended to most structural members in cargo and ballast spaces. Charterers often add a Condition Assessment Programme. |
| Docking survey | Twice in each five-year period | Bottom and side shell, sea chests, rudder and stern area while the hull is dry; suspect bottom plating gauged. |
Port state control and tank-ship regulation at Augusta
Port state control at Augusta is carried out by the Italian Coast Guard (Guardia Costiera) via the harbour master (Capitaneria di Porto), under the Paris MoU. Tankers carrying hazardous cargoes sit in a high-risk category for inspection, and structural condition is one of the areas where an inspector looks hardest. Corrosion in ballast tanks and on deck is a recurring topic for older tankers, and a clean set of thickness readings is one of the better defences for an owner who expects a visit.
Class surveys add their own requirements. Oil tankers, chemical carriers and bulk carriers fall under the Enhanced Survey Programme, which sets the extent of thickness measurement at each renewal and intermediate survey, and the readings must be recorded in the formats class societies expect. Gas carriers have separate requirements for their cargo containment. The EU Ship Recycling Regulation requires an Inventory of Hazardous Materials for ships calling at EU ports, and EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime shape decisions about how long older tankers stay in service.
Since 1 May 2025 the whole Mediterranean has been a sulphur emission control area, so ships calling at Augusta burn 0.10% sulphur fuel or run a scrubber. Scrubber wash-water piping, the overboard discharge and the hull penetration around it corrode quickly in service and are worth adding to the gauging scope at every docking.
Typical thickness gauging jobs at Augusta
Most Augusta work concerns tank steel. A tanker superintendent wants to know what a ship will need at its next survey, what to tell a charterer, or what a buyer should expect. We agree the list of tanks, deck areas and pipework in advance, confirm gas-free status with the ship, and report readings by tank and structural member so the surveyor and yard can use them directly.
- Ballast tank and deck gauging of a product tanker lying at the roadstead before its intermediate survey
- Cargo tank bottom and bulkhead gauging on a chemical tanker after washing and degassing at a jetty
- Pre-purchase condition gauging on a crude carrier, documented for the prospective buyer's technical team
- Wall-thickness mapping of cargo and ballast piping on a tanker during a lay-by period
- CAP preparation gauging for a tanker where the charterer has asked for a condition rating
How a thickness measurement job runs at Augusta
Most of the work on a Augusta job happens before the team boards: scope, plan and access are settled first, so the time on board goes on measurement.
Catania Fontanarossa is the nearest large airport, and a road transfer brings the team to Augusta along the coast. The crew travels from India on Schengen visas, so dates are confirmed after allowing for visa processing. The ship's agent arranges port and terminal access, and industrial berths often need names and passport details submitted in advance, so we supply those as soon as the job is confirmed.
- Send the vessel name or IMO number, ship type, class society, the survey due (annual, intermediate, renewal survey number, CAP or owner's condition survey), the port and dates, and the scope you expect.
- We confirm the scope against the class rules for that survey, prepare the thickness measurement plan with frame and section references, and say whether the measurement will be credited to a class survey.
- Mobilisation is planned around visa lead times and the vessel's schedule; the ship's agent arranges port access, and the yard or ship arranges staging, lighting, ventilation and gas-free certificates.
- Gauging with calibrated ultrasonic thickness gauges: through sound coatings only where the gauge's through-coating mode has been verified on a coated reference, otherwise on cleaned bare steel, with every reading tied to its frame, strake and location on the sketch.
- Readings are compared with original thicknesses as work proceeds; substantial and excessive corrosion and any cracks are reported to the attending surveyor and the superintendent the same day.
- The final report is issued on the class thickness-measurement formats with sketches, a summary of locations exceeding the allowable margins, piping tables where piping was in scope, and the gauge calibration and technician certificates.
Who does the work, and when class approval applies
The inspection team is mobilised from India for each job; nobody is stationed at the port, so mobilisation is planned against the vessel's schedule and visa lead times. Our founder and Responsible NDT Level III, who holds ASNT NDT Level III in UT, RT, MT, PT and VT and has over eleven years of international field experience, plans and supervises the work. Technicians are certified under the company's written practice to ASNT SNT-TC-1A, and the company holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification.
Thickness measurement that a classification society credits to a class survey has to be carried out by a firm approved by that society under IACS UR Z17. Atlantis is in the process of obtaining UR Z17 approval from DNV, Lloyd's Register and ABS. Until a certificate is issued, the readings we take are for the owner's own decisions, not for credit to a class survey, so tell us the vessel's class and the survey due when you enquire and we set the scope for the right purpose. Owner's and charterer's condition gauging, pre-docking steel estimates, pre-purchase and on-hire or off-hire gauging, and scrubber and piping condition checks between surveys do not need class approval.
Governing codes and standards
- IACS UR Z7 hull classification surveys
- IACS UR Z10.1 to Z10.5 (oil tankers, bulk carriers, chemical tankers, double-hull and double-skin ships)
- IACS UR Z17 approval of service suppliers
- SOLAS chapter XI-1 regulation 2 and the 2011 ESP Code
- MARPOL Annex VI regulation 14 and the 2021 EGCS Guidelines (MEPC.340(77))
- The rules of the vessel's classification society
What you receive
- Thickness measurement report on the class formats, with sketches
- Summary of substantial and excessive corrosion against allowable margins
- Pitting and grooving records with depth and extent
- Piping wall-thickness tables with isometric sketches
- Magnetic particle or penetrant crack-detection reports
- Gauge calibration records and technician certificates
Industries served
- Crude oil tankers
- Product tankers
- Chemical tankers
- LPG and gas carriers
- Bulk carriers
- General cargo ships
- Bunker tankers
- Tugs and pilot craft
Frequently asked questions
Can tankers be gauged at the Augusta anchorage?
Yes, in settled conditions and when the ship has made the tanks safe. We reach the ship by launch, and the master confirms gas-free status and the entry permit before we go aboard. A strong swell can stop the work, so it helps to plan a spare day. Waiting time at anchor is often the longest uninterrupted window.
Do you gauge cargo tanks or only ballast tanks at Augusta?
Both, when the space is cleaned, ventilated and certified safe. Ballast tanks are accessible more often and corrode faster, so they dominate the work. Cargo tanks after washing give valuable data on bottoms and bulkheads, particularly on chemical tankers. We agree with the superintendent which tanks are realistic for the port stay.
Is there a drydock at Augusta?
Not for large ships. Augusta handles industrial, naval and cargo traffic, and dockings are normally done in Malta, elsewhere in Sicily or on the mainland. Gauging in the bay gives a thickness record that lets the owner and yard agree the steel estimate before the ship moves.
What documents does the ship need ready before gauging?
The previous thickness measurement report, the tank plan or structural drawings, the survey status, and confirmation of gas-free certificates and entry permits for the spaces to be gauged. Previous readings let us repeat the same measurement points, which shows wastage rates rather than a single snapshot.
Does thickness measurement at Augusta need class approval?
Thickness measurement that a classification society credits to a class survey has to be carried out by a firm approved by that society under IACS UR Z17. Atlantis is in the process of obtaining UR Z17 approval from DNV, Lloyd's Register and ABS. Until a certificate is issued, the readings we take are for the owner's own decisions, not for credit to a class survey, so tell us the vessel's class and the survey due when you enquire and we set the scope for the right purpose. Owner's and charterer's condition gauging, pre-docking steel estimates, pre-purchase and on-hire or off-hire gauging, and scrubber and piping condition checks between surveys do not need class approval.
Planning a survey or a drydock?
Send the vessel name or IMO number, the class, the survey due and the port. We reply with the scope, the mobilisation plan and a quote for that vessel.
Request a QuoteRequest a ship gauging quote
Send the vessel name or IMO number, the class society, the survey due and the port. We reply with the scope, the mobilisation plan and a quote for that vessel.
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