Maritime inspection · Italy
Ship Hull and Tank Thickness Measurement at Cagliari, Sardinia
Cagliari is the main port of southern Sardinia, set on a wide gulf with a canal port for containers, ferry quays near the old town and industrial berths along the shore. The Sarroch refinery lies a short distance to the south-west. Owners gauge tankers, feeders, ferries and cargo ships here before dockings and at charter changes. Atlantis NDT sends a thickness measurement team from India to the ship, and plans work around cargo, ferry rotations and the anchorage.
Tankers serving the Sarroch coast
Product tankers and crude carriers working the refinery to the south-west often wait or lie at anchor in the gulf, which creates windows to gauge ballast tanks and deck steel before or after cargo work.
Feeder ships on tight container rotations
Container feeders at the canal port have short, predictable stays, so gauging focuses on ballast tanks, hatch coamings and accessible hull structure that a cargo plan leaves open.
Ro-pax ferries on island rotations
Ferries linking Sardinia with Sicily and the mainland call on fixed schedules, allowing vehicle decks, ramps and tanks to be gauged in stages ahead of a docking.
Inspection services for ships at Cagliari
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 Cagliari: gulf anchorage, canal port and ferry quays
Cagliari lies at the head of a broad gulf on the south coast of Sardinia, with the old town rising behind the harbour. The Gulf of Cagliari gives wide, open anchorage for ships waiting for berths or between cargoes, though it is exposed to southerly weather. The port has several distinct areas: the historic port near the centre for ferries and cruise ships, an industrial port serving bulk and petroleum cargoes, and the canal port, a dedicated container terminal on the western side that handles feeder ships and some transshipment traffic.
Traffic mixes the island's own needs with wider Mediterranean flows. Ferries and ro-pax ships link Cagliari with mainland Italy and Sicily, carrying vehicles, freight trailers and passengers. Container feeders call at the canal port, and bulk carriers and general cargo ships bring in and take out materials for island industry. Tankers serve the refinery at Sarroch and other energy facilities along the coast. Cruise ships call throughout the warmer part of the year, and workboats and tugs support all of it. The variety of ship types means that almost any survey need can arise here.
Weather and season shape inspection planning. Summer brings busier ferry timetables and more cruise calls, limiting how long a passenger ship can be taken out of rotation. Cooler months are better for ferries, when schedules ease. Southerly winds can raise swell in the gulf and make launch work at the anchorage harder, so owners often prefer berth work when they need dependable access. Tankers waiting for a refinery berth may spend longer at anchor than expected, which can open a window for gauging if the weather cooperates and the ship has gas-free certificates.
Where gauging can happen at Cagliari
Cagliari has ship repair activity in the historic port, with repair quays and floating dock capacity suited to coasters, ferries, tugs and mid-sized cargo ships. Larger tonnage usually docks elsewhere in Italy, in Malta or further afield, and Cagliari then acts as the measuring point before the voyage to the yard. A ship brought into a dock or onto a repair quay offers access to the lower hull, sea chests, rudder and propeller, and to double-bottom and tank structure after cleaning.
Away from the repair quays, gauging takes place alongside at the ferry berths, the canal port, the industrial berths and the anchorage. Feeder ships are gauged on their hatch coamings, hatch covers, ballast tanks and accessible hull structure while the cargo plan allows. Ferries offer vehicle decks and ramps between sailings. Tankers at industrial berths or at anchor offer ballast tanks, deck steel and piping when the terminal and the master agree. Lay-up and idle periods give the longest windows for a full programme.
- Historic port repair quays and floating dock capacity: bottom shell, sea chests and tank structure of ferries, coasters, tugs and mid-sized ships
- Canal port container berths: hatch coamings, ballast tanks and accessible hull structure of feeder ships between cargo operations
- Ferry berths: vehicle decks, ramps and tanks of ro-pax ships on island rotations
- Industrial and petroleum berths: ballast tanks, deck plating and cargo piping of tankers, subject to terminal permits
- Gulf of Cagliari anchorage: ships waiting or between cargoes, reached by launch in settled weather
- Porto Torres and Palermo: other yards and ports used for larger dockings after gauging
Thickness measurement through the survey cycle at Cagliari
Class rules set the survey cycle, and the cycle sets how much gauging a ship needs. A superintendent planning a call at Cagliari usually knows which survey is due; the table shows what the thickness measurement for each one typically involves. The exact extent comes from the class rules for the ship type and the surveyor attending, so the thickness measurement programme is agreed with the class before work starts.
| 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 Sardinian shipping regulation
Port state control at Cagliari is carried out by the Italian Coast Guard (Guardia Costiera) through the harbour master (Capitaneria di Porto), under the Paris MoU system. Ports in Sardinia fall under the Sardinian Sea port authority, which also oversees other island harbours. Tankers, bulk carriers and older general cargo ships are all candidates for inspection, and structural deficiencies can be a reason for detention, so owners benefit from knowing thickness condition before a ship arrives.
The EU Ship Recycling Regulation requires an Inventory of Hazardous Materials for ships calling at EU ports, and a docking is the practical time to survey and update it. EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime now influence how long owners keep older ferries and cargo ships trading. Container feeders and tankers surveyed under class rules need thickness reports in the formats the societies expect, and gauging in Cagliari before a docking keeps the surveyor's time at the yard focused on close-up work and repairs.
Since 1 May 2025 the whole Mediterranean has been a sulphur emission control area, so ships calling at Cagliari 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 Cagliari
Cagliari work covers a broad range of ships, from feeder vessels on regular loops to tankers and ferries. Each job starts with a defined list of spaces, agreed with the superintendent, and a plan that fits the berth and cargo schedule. We record readings by structural member, compare them with earlier survey data when the owner can supply it, and deliver one report for the owner and the yard.
- Hatch coaming and ballast tank gauging on a container feeder at the canal port between rotations
- Pre-docking gauging of a ro-pax ferry's vehicle decks, ramps and tanks ahead of a yard period
- Owner's condition gauging of a product tanker lying at anchor in the gulf before a change of charter
- Bottom shell and sea chest gauging on a coaster or tug hauled out on a repair quay or floating dock
- Scrubber wash-water piping thickness checks on a ferry or cruise ship during a layover
How a thickness measurement job runs at Cagliari
The sequence for a thickness measurement job at Cagliari is short and written down, so the yard, the surveyor and the superintendent know who arranges what.
Cagliari Elmas airport lies close to the city and port, with direct links to mainland Italy and several European cities, which keeps the transfer short once the team lands. The crew travels from India on Schengen visas, so dates are fixed after allowing for visa processing. The ship's agent arranges port and terminal access, and we send crew details and an equipment list ahead of time so passes are ready.
- 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
We send the team from India to the ship for each job rather than keeping staff at the port, and plan the mobilisation around visas and the vessel's itinerary. The work is planned and supervised by the founder, our Responsible NDT Level III (ASNT NDT Level III in UT, RT, MT, PT and VT, with more than eleven years of international field experience). Technicians hold certification under the company's written practice to ASNT SNT-TC-1A; Atlantis is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified.
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
- Container feeder ships
- Ro-pax ferries
- Product tankers
- Bulk carriers
- General cargo ships
- Cruise ships
- Tugs and workboats
- Coastal tankers
Frequently asked questions
Can a container feeder be gauged at the Cagliari canal port?
Yes, between cargo operations and with the agreement of the terminal. The usual scope is hatch coamings, hatch covers, ballast tanks and any hull structure accessible from inside. Feeder stays are short, so we agree the target list with the superintendent in advance and keep the readings in a single report.
Is there a repair yard in Cagliari for steel renewal?
There are repair quays and floating dock capacity suited to smaller and mid-sized ships. Larger tonnage generally docks elsewhere in Italy, in Malta or further afield. Gauging in Cagliari gives the owner an early thickness record so the steel estimate is ready before a ship reaches the yard.
Can tankers waiting for Sarroch be gauged at the anchorage?
Often, in settled weather and when the ship has made its spaces safe. We reach the ship by launch, and the master confirms gas-free certificates and the entry permit. A southerly swell can stop the work, so it helps to hold a spare day in the plan, and the time at anchor is frequently the longest window.
What can be gauged on a ferry between island sailings?
Typically vehicle deck sections, ramps and their supporting structure, and ballast tanks the crew can ventilate. Several calls can add up to a full programme. We agree the sequence with the superintendent so each visit has a clear target and the readings come together in one report.
Does thickness measurement at Cagliari 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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