Acceptance trial

An acceptance trial is the owner’s sea trial that demonstrates the newbuilding meets the contract performance figures before the buyer signs the protocol of delivery and acceptance. It verifies the contract speed at the specified power and draft, fuel consumption against the guaranteed SFOC curve, endurance, maneuvering, steering gear, and the noise and vibration limits. Speed and power are corrected to ideal conditions under ISO 15016:2015 before comparison to the contract guarantee. A shortfall against a guaranteed value triggers the liquidated-damages clause in the shipbuilding contract or, past a threshold, the buyer’s right to reject. The owner, the classification surveyor, and the yard sign the trial protocol.