InspectWrk

Vessel Arrival and Departure Checklist

Use this vessel arrival and departure checklist to run checks on pre-arrival information, berth and mooring readiness, crew, safety, and cargo on arrival, operations in port, departure documentation and final checks, and mooring release and departure authorisation, scoring each item and raising corrective actions with owners and due dates.

7 sections21 questions16 to 30 minutesFree

Vessel Arrival and DepartureDepot 1 · Berth and Mooring Readiness0 of 3 checked
  • Confirm the berth assignment and that the berth is ready.Forklift carrying a boxed pallet down a warehouse aisle between tall blue and orange rackingPhoto Added
  • Check the mooring arrangements for the vessel.Forklift carrying a boxed pallet down a warehouse aisle between tall blue and orange rackingPhoto Added
  • Confirm gangway and safe access arrangements.Forklift carrying a boxed pallet down a warehouse aisle between tall blue and orange rackingPhoto Added
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What’s in this checklist.

7 sections · 21 questions · 16 to 30 minutes · Free

    1. Record the vessel identification and estimated time of arrival.

    2. Confirm communication with the port or terminal.

    3. Gather the documentation required for arrival.

    1. Confirm the berth assignment and that the berth is ready.

    2. Check the mooring arrangements for the vessel.

    3. Confirm gangway and safe access arrangements.

    1. Record crew and access arrangements on arrival.

    2. Confirm the safety requirements for the vessel and berth.

    3. Record cargo and operation information and any arrival observations.

    1. Track cargo or operations progress while alongside.

    2. Record and resolve any outstanding issues.

    3. Maintain communication with the port or terminal.

    1. Confirm required documentation for departure is completed.

    2. Complete final vessel and berth checks before departure.

    3. Confirm cargo or operations are complete.

    1. Confirm mooring release readiness.

    2. Obtain departure authorisation and confirm with the port or terminal.

    3. Record the departure time.

    1. Keep records of the arrival and departure activities.

    2. Confirm outstanding actions are captured.

    3. Sign off the arrival and departure checklist.

How the Vessel Arrival and Departure checklist works.

Three steps, about 16 to 30 minutes.

  1. Work through each section

    Section by section, one check at a time.

  2. Log every finding

    Tap Fail, add a photo, assign who fixes it.

  3. Sign off and share

    The report is ready the moment you finish.

Same checklist, two ways to run it.

Paper for a one-off check. The app when every finding needs fixing.

Printed PDF

  • Pen on paper
  • Photos in your camera roll
  • Report typed up later

InspectWrk appRecommended

  • Photos on every finding
  • Owner and due date per finding
  • Report ready at sign-off
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What is a vessel arrival and departure checklist?

Quick answer

A vessel arrival and departure checklist coordinates and documents the activities around a vessel arriving at and leaving a berth. Rather than a vessel condition inspection, it follows the operational sequence: pre-arrival information and port communication, berth readiness and mooring, crew, safety, and cargo details on arrival, operations in port, then departure documentation, final checks, mooring release, and departure authorisation. It answers whether the vessel is properly prepared to arrive or depart and whether the required operational and documentation checks are complete, with records and sign-off for each call.

A vessel arrival and departure checklist is an operational tool for coordinating the activities around a vessel's port call. It is not a vessel condition inspection; it works through the sequence of arrival, time alongside, and departure. On arrival it covers pre-arrival information, port and terminal communication, berth readiness, mooring, crew and access, safety requirements, and cargo information. For departure it covers completed operations, outstanding issues, required documentation, final vessel and berth checks, mooring release, and departure authorisation. It answers whether the vessel is properly prepared to arrive or depart and whether the required operational and documentation checks have been completed, with records and sign-off for the port call. Port procedures and requirements vary, so it should follow the applicable port and terminal procedures.

Why port calls run into problems

Arrival and departure problems usually come from poor coordination rather than the vessel itself. The berth is not ready when the vessel arrives, mooring or access arrangements are unclear, documentation is incomplete, or an outstanding issue from operations is missed until the vessel is ready to sail. Without a single checklist and record, the port, terminal, and vessel work from different information and the call is delayed.

A structured arrival and departure checklist keeps everyone aligned, confirms readiness at both ends, and records the checks and authorisations, so the port call runs safely and on schedule.

Before and After InspectWrk

Before InspectWrk

  • transport, logistics & warehousing inspections for vessel arrival and departure happen on paper or in WhatsApp threads, with no timestamp and no photo evidence.
  • Vessel arrival departure checks are ticked on paper without photo evidence per finding.
  • You find out about a vessel arrival and departure issue from a client complaint or an auditor, not from your own team in real time.

After InspectWrk

  • Masters and deck officers complete the inspection in the app with photo evidence at the vessel arrival and departure, even offline.
  • Managers see open findings, closure status, and port and terminal procedures, your ship-shore safety and mooring procedures and applicable maritime and port-state requirements evidence live on one dashboard.
  • Overdue corrective actions escalate automatically so the fix happens before the next transport, logistics & warehousing audit.

Why is a vessel arrival and departure checklist important?

A coordinated arrival and departure keeps a port call safe, compliant, and on schedule:

  • Confirms the vessel and berth are ready before arrival and departure
  • Keeps the port, terminal, and vessel aligned on timing and requirements
  • Makes sure required documentation is complete for each call
  • Checks mooring, access, and safety arrangements at both ends
  • Creates a record and sign-off for the arrival and departure

What should be included in a vessel arrival and departure checklist?

A complete vessel arrival and departure checklist follows the port call in order:

Arrival readiness

Prepare the arrival and berth:

  • Vessel identification, ETA, and port or terminal communication
  • Berth readiness, mooring arrangements, and safe access
  • Required documentation, safety requirements, and cargo information

Operations in port

Manage the time alongside:

  • Cargo or operations progress and completion
  • Outstanding issues raised and resolved
  • Ongoing communication with the port or terminal

Departure and clearance

Confirm the vessel is ready to leave:

  • Required documentation completed and final vessel and berth checks
  • Mooring release readiness and departure authorisation
  • Departure time, records, and sign-off

How do teams use a vessel arrival and departure checklist?

Work through the port call in order:

  1. Confirm pre-arrival information and communicate with the port or terminal
  2. Check berth readiness, mooring, and safe access on arrival
  3. Record crew, safety, and cargo information
  4. Track operations and resolve outstanding issues while alongside
  5. Complete departure documentation and final checks
  6. Confirm mooring release, authorise departure, and record sign-off

See how this checklist fits into Transport, Logistics & Warehousing inspection software.

This checklist runs as a mobile inspection app that works fully offline on site, with AI-powered defect detection on every photo. To see it on your own workflows, talk to our team.

AI-Powered Features for Your Field Workflows

Submit an inspection and AI writes the PDF report and Excel sheet for you. No admin, no waiting.

01 / 05Photo to formVISION AI

Take a Photo. AI Fills the Form.

Your inspector takes a photo of any asset or defect. AI reads it and fills the inspection form automatically.

No typing. No manual entry.

02 / 05Voice to textVOICE AI

Speak. AI Writes It Down.

Inspectors speak their observations in any language. AI transcribes and fills the form in real time.

Completely hands-free in the field.

03 / 05Auto reportsREPORT AI

AI Writes the Report. PDF and Excel, Instantly.

The moment an inspection is submitted, AI summarises the findings and builds a branded PDF report and an Excel sheet for you.

No manual reporting. No copy-paste.

04 / 05IntegrationsINTEGRATIONS

Connect Your Existing Tools.

InspectWrk integrates with the tools your team already uses, including Zoho, Microsoft 365, and SAP.

No double entry.

05 / 05Live dashboardLIVE DATA

Live Dashboard. Every Site. Always On.

Your operations team sees completion rates, open issues, and compliance scores across all sites in real time.

No chasing updates.

One Platform. Mobile-First. AI-Powered.

  • Collaborate

    Collaborate with your team anytime, anywhere

    See which checklists your team has in progress across every site, jump into the same inspection with one tap, and keep field, supervisor, and back-office views in sync without sending screenshots on WhatsApp.

    • Organise inspection data by site, team, and date
    • Assign checks to the inspector or vendor responsible
    • Track completion across every location in one view
    • Keep field and back-office in sync in real time
    • Comment on findings without leaving the inspection
  • Custom Reports

    Custom reports that guide your decision making

    Every team reports differently. Build the report your operations, quality, or compliance leads actually want to read, share it as a branded PDF, and schedule delivery to the stakeholders who need it.

    • Branded PDF and CSV export from any completed inspection
    • Schedule weekly or monthly delivery to managers and clients
    • Share to email, Drive, Teams, or Slack in one click
    • Filter findings by site, severity, or corrective-action status
  • Powerful Analytics

    Analyse your inspection data with confidence

    See completion, pass rate, and recurring findings across every checklist and every site, without pulling spreadsheets together at the end of the month.

    Powerful dashboard
    Combine multiple reports into one dashboard so you can monitor status, bottlenecks, and completion trends at a glance.
    Always in sync
    Changes sync across devices so inspectors, supervisors, and back-office teams always see the latest responses and attachments.
    Embedded analytics
    Explore checklist data with charts and breakdowns that stay tied to the underlying inspections, without exporting to spreadsheets.

Vessel Arrival and Departurequestions

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It is used to coordinate and document the activities around a vessel arriving at and leaving a berth. It follows the operational sequence: pre-arrival information and port communication, berth readiness and mooring, crew, safety, and cargo details on arrival, operations in port, then departure documentation, final checks, mooring release, and departure authorisation. It answers whether the vessel is properly prepared to arrive or depart and whether the required operational and documentation checks are complete, with records and sign-off for each port call.

A vessel inspection checklist assesses the condition of the ship, its equipment, or a space such as the engine room. This checklist is about the operational event of arriving and departing a berth. It does not judge vessel condition; it coordinates communication, berth and mooring readiness, documentation, cargo operations, and departure clearance. Inspection is about whether the vessel is sound, while this checklist is about whether the arrival and departure are properly prepared and completed. They serve different purposes.

That depends on the port, terminal, and vessel, so the checklist prompts you to confirm and complete the required documentation for each call rather than listing universal forms. On arrival it covers the documentation needed to berth and begin operations, and for departure the records needed for clearance and authorisation. Following the applicable port and terminal procedures, and confirming requirements with the port agent, keeps the documentation complete and the call compliant.

It is typically completed by the vessel's master and deck officers together with the port agent and the terminal or port operations team, with mooring crews handling berthing and unberthing. One person should own the checklist for each call, keep communication aligned, and confirm readiness at both ends. Recording who completed each stage, the times, and the departure authorisation gives a clear, auditable record of the port call for the vessel and the terminal.

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