What a vessel report records
A vessel handover report is the completed record of the vessel's condition and outstanding work at a particular time. Its audience includes the receiving crew and the person responsible for reviewing the vessel archive. This page explains how to organise that record; it is not a blank form or a pre-joining checklist.
Sections of a completed vessel handover report
Download the unsigned example report (.pdf)
- Identify the vessel, reporting period, department scope, author, receiving person, and report version.
- Summarise the operational condition by department, noting any limitations or information that has not been verified.
- List outstanding work with stable item numbers, current status, owners, and next actions.
- Separate work completed during the reporting period from work still open at handover.
- Index supporting photographs, service reports, and documents against the relevant item numbers.
- Record unresolved questions, acknowledgements, the issue date, and the location of the final archived version.
Compile and issue the report
Assemble department records into one consistent report with a common reporting date.
Reconcile duplicate or conflicting item entries before review.
Issue the agreed version to the receiving crew and retain it with its referenced attachments.
Separate completed work from open work
Weak handover
The vessel is in good condition. Maintenance ongoing.
Useful handover
Illustrative example; not a customer vessel record.
At the reporting date, deck items D02 and D05 remain open. Machinery item M03 was completed during this period; the service report is attached as M03A. The receiving department leads reviewed the open-item register.
Use an open-item register and an attachment index
Group the report by department, then identify the work that remains open. Use a stable reference for each item so the receiving crew can find its photos, service reports, and supplier correspondence. A report may summarise those records without reproducing every attachment inside the document.
For completed work, identify what was done and which record supports it. For unresolved work, state its current condition, owner, and next action. For information not verified at handover, name the gap and the person responsible for resolving it.
Record the scope of the acknowledgement
An acknowledgement records the information reviewed and any remaining questions. It should not turn an incomplete inspection into an unqualified statement that the vessel is in good condition. State the department scope, reporting date, document version, and where the reviewed copy will be retained.
The example below uses fictional equipment and job references to show the structure. Its PDF is produced using the product’s report renderer with synthetic data and no signatures; it is not a customer report or proof of an approved handover.
Sample vessel handover report
Fictional training example, generated with the PassLog product PDF renderer. It contains no customer data, actual measurements, or signatures. The attachment references illustrate how to organise evidence; the attachments are not supplied.
- Vessel
- Example vessel (fictional)
- Department
- Engineering
- Handover date
- 2026-10-11
- Status
- Unsigned example
Open-item register
D-014 — Generator No. 2
Cooling-water seepage recorded during the walk-through. The existing defect record contains the operating restrictions; this example does not specify or change them.
Owner: Second engineer. Next action: Confirm the service attendance date with the technical superintendent and update defect D-014.
Evidence references: D-014A: observation photo reference; D-014B: service quotation reference.
PMS-208 — Port service pump P12
Replacement seal listed as on order. Reassembly and the checks required by the vessel procedure remain outstanding.
Owner: Relief engineer. Next action: Check the purchase reference with the supplier and record the confirmed delivery date in PMS-208.
Evidence references: PMS-208A: purchase reference; PMS-208B: maintenance note.
Unresolved question
The incoming engineer has not yet verified the spares inventory. The relief engineer will reconcile it with the stores record and list any difference for review.
Unsigned example. In an actual handover, record who reviewed the information, the questions remaining, and the date of each acknowledgement.
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
Maritime handover template
Use these fields to understand what belongs in a handover. Add your notes, photos, and documents in PassLog to generate the report, then review and sign it.
Chief engineer handover checklist
Transfer oversight of the engineering department: priorities, unresolved decisions, resources, reporting commitments, and the team’s next actions.
Ship maintenance handover
Keep the next maintenance owner connected to the job’s actual state, remaining work, parts, supporting records, and follow-up contacts.