When to use this template
Use this reusable set of fields to draft a handover document. It is a document structure, rather than a crew-change schedule or a machinery inspection checklist. Fill in the fields for the department being handed over and attach the evidence referenced in each entry.
Reusable maritime handover fields
Download the editable template (.txt)
Download the printable template (.pdf)
- Record identity: vessel ____; department or role ____; handover date ____; outgoing person ____; incoming person ____.
- Current status: system or responsibility ____; condition ____; last checked ____; evidence reference ____.
- Open item: item number ____; location ____; priority ____; current owner ____; next action ____; target date ____.
- Reference material: document or photo ____; storage location ____; related item number ____; supplier or follow-up contact ____.
- Questions still open: question ____; person who can answer ____; follow-up date ____.
- Acknowledgement: outgoing signature and date ____; incoming signature and date ____; document version ____; archive location ____.
How to complete the template
Copy the fields into your working document and remove sections that do not apply.
Complete one entry per open item; use evidence references that the next person can locate.
Review outstanding questions together, sign the agreed version, and retain the same final copy for both people.
A worked open-item entry
Weak handover
Open item: pump issue. See photos.
Useful handover
Illustrative example; not a customer vessel record.
Open item 04: port service pump, lower machinery space. Seal seepage photographed in attachment 04A. Owner: incoming engineer. Next action: inspect the seal at the next planned maintenance opportunity; confirm the date before sign-off.
Complete one record for each open item
A department summary helps the incoming crew see the overall situation. It does not replace the details needed to continue a particular job. Give each open item an identifier and use that identifier in the note, photo filename, service report, and parts reference.
Separate observation from interpretation. ‘Visible seepage at pump P12 during the walk-through’ records an observation. ‘The seal needs replacement’ is a diagnosis that should point to the responsible engineer’s assessment. Record what has not been checked as explicitly as what has.
- Equipment: use the name, tag, and location the receiving crew can find on board.
- Status: distinguish completed work, work still open, and information awaiting verification.
- Ownership: name the role or person responsible for the next action, not everyone copied into a message.
- Evidence: state where the file or record is stored. A reference is useful only if the receiving crew can access it.
Keep the reviewed version separate from later updates
Before acknowledgement, read the open-item list together and record outstanding questions. Retain the version both people reviewed. If a supplier later confirms a delivery date or a new defect is found, update the working maintenance record without silently rewriting the earlier handover.
The template is an editorial working document. Adapt it to the company’s approved handover procedure and existing vessel records. It is not an approved SMS form or a certificate of machinery condition.
About this guidance
Prepared by PassLog editorial. The examples are fictional and the checklists must be adapted to the vessel and company procedures. Use the vessel’s approved procedures for operations, familiarisation, and watchkeeping.
Send corrections or questions about this guide to [email protected]. For the international safety-management framework, see the IMO overview of the ISM Code. It provides context for company procedures; it does not endorse this checklist.
Related articles
- How PassLog Generates a Crew Handover from Notes and Photos
Add voice notes, photos, and documents in PassLog, then review the generated handover before signing. See what to capture and what to check in the report.
- How to Organise Technical Handover Notes by System
Group notes by equipment or responsibility and use stable references to connect observations, open jobs, supporting files, and follow-up ownership.
Create the handover record in PassLog
Add voice notes, photos, written notes, and documents. PassLog generates your handover. Review the details with the incoming crew, then sign the PDF.
Resources
Vessel handover report
How to organise the completed record of a vessel's condition and outstanding work for the receiving crew and vessel archive.
Crew handover checklist
A final review checklist for the moment duties change hands. Check that the incoming crew can find the information, access, and follow-up contacts they need.
Crew change handover plan
Plan what happens before departure, during the overlap, and after the incoming crew joins. Use the available time to transfer knowledge and resolve questions.