Plan backwards, start with documents
The vessel's window is the fixed point. Everything else is scheduled backwards from it. But the item with the longest lead time — documentation and immigration coordination — is the one consumed last, which is why it is so often started too late.
Begin the document work as soon as the rotation is known, even if the port and date are still provisional.
Alongside versus anchorage
A crew change alongside is a transport problem. A crew change at anchorage is a marine operation, subject to launch availability, port permission, weather and sea state.
Establish which one you are planning for as early as possible, because they need different contingency.
Contingency is cheaper than repatriation
Flights change, vessels move, and personnel occasionally cannot travel. A plan with no contingency converts each of those into a repatriation and a re-mobilisation.
Hold a fallback date, a fallback transfer method and a decision point at which the change is postponed rather than forced.
Crew-change planning checklist
- vessel window confirmed with expected variance
- transfer method determined — alongside or anchorage
- crew list reconciled against actual documents per person
- passport and seafarer document validity verified
- visa and letter-of-invitation requirements started early
- medical and vaccination requirements confirmed
- flights booked with realistic connection margins
- airport meet-and-assist arranged
- ground transport and accommodation confirmed
- launch-boat arrangement identified for anchorage transfers
- contingency date and fallback transfer method held
- named authority for on-the-day decisions and spend
Where delay usually develops
- visas and invitations started too late
- documentation inconsistencies discovered at immigration
- flight changes breaking the port window
- vessel schedule moving after transport is committed
- anchorage transfer stopped by weather or launch availability
- medical requirements discovered on arrival
What the principal should prepare
- the crew list with full document details
- flight itineraries or ticketing authority
- vessel position, ETA and window
- medical, dietary and accessibility requirements
- spend authority for contingency decisions
What Vandyvah can coordinate
- crew-change planning and sign-on/sign-off coordination
- immigration coordination and document support
- airport meet-and-assist and transfers
- launch-boat coordination for anchorage movements
- hotels, medical coordination and repatriation support