Lay-up (long-term)

Long-term lay-up is an owner-initiated preservation regime that idles a ship for an extended period, months to years, while keeping it recoverable to service. Hot lay-up keeps a small crew and machinery in standby for quick reactivation; cold lay-up shuts the ship down almost fully, dehumidifies and seals spaces against corrosion, blanks systems, and preserves the engine and tanks under nitrogen or dry air, with class agreeing a reduced survey and maintenance program. The decision turns on the daily cost of standby against reactivation cost and class reinstatement. Poor cold-lay-up preservation lets internal corrosion and machinery seizure run, raising reactivation cost far above the saving.