Insight: Ensuring clarity for refit projects with the CCS Tender Survey

Established in 1992, the Dutch company, CCS Coating Consultants for Superyachts has 25 years of expertise in superyacht paint solutions. Here, the company gives an insight into how to ensure your paint refit is up to the best possible standard through the CCS Tender Survey. 

Photo: CCS
CCS has noted a significant number of disappointing paint refits caused by the failing clarity in the
specified scopes on refit works. To help owners, captains and yards to get clear scopes, CCS works
with the CCS Superyacht Tender Survey to ensure that clarity is achieved for superyacht refit projects. 

One of the challenges owners and their representatives face when it comes to superyacht coating is the total lack of clarity as to what is and isn’t acceptable. To be brutally honest, as CCS sees it, the 'Northern European superyacht coating standard' is nothing more than smoke and mirrors: the words have no legal authority and cannot be measured in any manner. In their opinion, the ICOMIA guidelines should only be seen as an industry minimum and are unlikely to give you the quality standard you are looking for.

The CCS Superyacht Tender Survey is an excellent way to blow away the smoke and break the mirrors.
Over the past 25 years, CCS has written countless paint specifications and acceptance criteria and has also been involved in the bidding process for many refit and new build projects. 

Their new tender survey has three main objectives. Firstly, to create a level playing field for all parties quoting for the same work, based upon the same square-metre figure (which is calculated by a naval architect). Secondly, to provide like for like quotes for paint refit work, and finally, to ensure an agreed quality level at the best price via transparent quotes.

Photo: CCSMeasuring the DFT of the applied primer 

But, you might be wondering, how does the CCS Superyacht Tender Survey work? The survey works through these simple steps: 

1. A CCS surveyor executes the initial survey. All their surveyors are Frosio/Nace certified in combination with RMCI, which would be essential should any dispute arise.

2. CCS writes a clear tender document stating the work to be carried out, the quality level to be
achieved - based on the initial survey - and agreed with the owner. In this way, expectations are managed from the outset.

3. The CCS surveyor writes acceptance criteria and quality performance criteria. The latter details the
quality level which can be expected after the second, third and subsequent years.

4. CCS evaluates the tenders to see who is offering the agreed quality at the best price.

5. The CCS surveyor holds a kick-off meeting so that all parties have the same objectives before the
project starts.

6. Intermediate surveys monitor whether all the appropriate steps are being taken.

7. A final survey is carried out and acceptance checks to ensure that the agreed quality levels have been reached.

8. Finally, an optional warranty survey after 11 months ensures that all coatings are performing as were agreed in the contract.

Photo: CCS
A surface marked for remedial works 

Photo: CCS
Checking for dust on the paint surface

In addition to their unrivalled experience and expertise, the major advantage of using CCS as your coating consultant is that they have both a presence and projects underway in all the major refit ports. CCS can share costs over the various projects at the same time at the same yard resulting in substantial savings and guaranteeing you excellent value for money. 

Partnering with a surveyor from CCS will only cost you approximately 2 to 3% of the total paint refit budget. For that small sum, you are assured of a top quality job for the best price with all expectations managed, and, of course, peace of mind for the captain or owner’s representative of having a specialist overseeing the work, which is one of the highest costs during a refit or new build.Photo: CCSThe CCS team 

An investment in a CCS superyacht tender survey will easily pay for itself as well as giving a trouble-free refit, giving you a real return on your investment. All of this will be at the best-agreed quality and at the best possible price. 

To hear more about CCS and the services they offer, or to make an enquiry, head to their website, or use the contact details below.