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Video tells the story, but a single sharp photograph is what ends up pasted into a claim, a class report or a charter dispute. Underwater photography in Nagoya Port is a skill of its own, and in busy harbour water it takes patience.
A photograph is easy to attach to an email, easy to print and easy to compare with another one taken a year later. Class offices, P&I clubs and shipyards all ask for them. A good photograph shows the defect, the surrounding plating and enough reference to judge size and position. A poor one shows a blurred green shape. The difference is almost entirely technique.
The Diver works close to the plating, usually 30 to 100 cm away, so that suspended particles between the lens and the subject are kept to a minimum. We use strobes or strong lights placed at an angle to avoid the white speckle that straight light causes in silty water. A scale marker or ruler goes next to every defect. Each series starts with a reference frame showing the area number, so the picture can be placed on the Hull plan later.
Photographs taken before and after a job are the cleanest proof that the work was done. After hull or propeller cleaning, we photograph the same spots we recorded at the start. After a repair, we show the damaged area, the work in progress and the finished plate. Owners often keep these sets with their technical file, and shipyards can use them to check a repair before dry-docking.
For class work, photographs support the surveyor's decision. For claims, they must be honest and complete. We photograph the damage and the undamaged plating around it, record the date, the time and the Draft, and avoid cleaning the area until the first set is taken. If a third party is involved, such as a tug or another ship, we keep the original files unaltered and tell the owner which pictures are in the report.
Files are numbered and named by ship, date and area. A typical Hull job produces 100 to 300 photographs, and the report includes the most important ones with captions. The originals are available in full resolution on request. We do not retouch the images beyond a basic brightness adjustment that makes them readable.
Poor visibility, strong current and surge near the surface can all spoil the pictures. When this happens we say so and either wait or switch to close-up CCTV stills. We prefer a smaller number of honest, readable images to a large set that looks impressive but shows little.
Ask for the photographs to be taken before any cleaning or repair, and tell us which areas matter most. If the report is for a claim or a class matter, say who will read it, so the captions and the layout fit their needs. A short briefing with the surveyor before the dive helps us take the right pictures the first time.
Q1. How close is the camera held to the hull plating?
Usually 30 to 100 cm, depending on visibility. Closer shots reduce the water column between the lens and the plating and improve clarity.
Q2. How many photographs does a typical Hull job produce?
A typical Hull job on a 180 to 200 m ship produces 100 to 300 photographs, of which the key ones are captioned in the report.
Q3. What information is recorded with each photograph?
Date, time, ship name, area reference and a scale marker next to any defect. The Draft is recorded at the start of the dive.
Q4. Are the photographs edited?
Only for basic brightness and contrast so that they are readable. Originals remain unaltered and are available on request.
