Prepare the record before departure
Identify the vessel, department, responsibilities transferred, and handover time. Gather the existing job register, relevant system notes, manuals, and supporting files before the outgoing crew leaves. Use the maritime handover template to organise the fields without replacing the vessel’s approved records.
For each system, record its current condition and the source of that information. Separate a first-hand observation from a service report or another person’s account. Include the observation time, equipment tag, and any item that has not yet been checked.
Use the overlap to resolve questions
Review outstanding work with the receiving crew. Each open item needs a reference, current status, owner, and next action. Link photographs and supplier correspondence to that reference so the next person can find the evidence without tracing an old message thread.
Reserve overlap time for questions and demonstrations that the written record cannot answer. Record missed inspections, missing access, or decisions awaiting shore support with a follow-up owner. Do not replace those gaps with an unqualified ‘all good’.
Retain the reviewed handover
Retain the document version both people reviewed and keep later updates identifiable. An acknowledgement records what was shared and the questions remaining; it does not establish that every system was inspected or that machinery operation is approved.
PassLog is available in the web app for recording notes, supporting files, open items, and acknowledgements. Review the vessel handover report example to see a fictional record and its unsigned PDF before preparing your own handover.
Choose the record for the task in front of you
A crew rotation, a change of watch, and an unfinished repair need different information. Start with the responsibility being transferred, then use the relevant record below. You do not need to copy the same details into several competing documents.
| Your task | Start here | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare the rotation | Crew-change handover plan | Preparation, overlap time, and follow-up after departure. |
| Check incoming readiness | Crew handover checklist | Duties, access, first checks, and unresolved questions. |
| Take over engineering duties | Engineer handover checklist | Assigned systems, job history, contacts, and responsibilities. |
| Walk through the machinery spaces | Engine-room handover checklist | Equipment locations, observations, and matching records. |
| Continue an unfinished job | Ship maintenance handover | Completed work, remaining work, parts, and next owner. |
| Review the completed output | Vessel handover report | A fictional report with open items and supporting references. |
