Chasing updates from vessels
When defect status is distributed across emails, reports and spreadsheets, shore teams have to chase vessels for updates. That makes it harder to identify which defects require immediate attention.
Defect management
Defect management software for real-time fleet visibility
PRIME Marine Defect Management brings defect reporting, prioritisation, corrective actions and closure into one connected workflow for maritime vessels. Crew report defects from onboard or shore, while superintendents monitor outstanding issues and their status across assigned vessels. It is part of PRIME Marine Vessel Management Software, connecting defect records with maintenance, procurement, inventory and QHSE workflows across the fleet.
- One fleet-wide view, filtered by vessel, priority or system
- Photo and video evidence attached to the defect record
- Actioned ashore and verified onboard kept as separate states
Part of Technical & Asset Management, alongside
- Planned Maintenance
- Vessel Certificates
- Shipyard Projects
Keep every vessel defect visible from ship to shore
The challenges of managing vessel defects separately
A vessel defect may be reported by the crew, but resolving it can involve several teams, corrective actions, follow-ups and verification. When defect information is spread across logbooks, vessel emails, reports and separate spreadsheets, shore teams struggle to identify what is outstanding, who is responsible and what needs to happen next.
Losing the history behind recurring defects
When each vessel defect is recorded separately, previous issues, repairs and corrective actions are difficult to connect, and recurring equipment problems become harder to investigate.
Waiting for corrective action
A reported defect may need a work order, a spare part or a procurement request before it can be resolved. Without a connected workflow, those activities are difficult to track.
A shared defect record
PRIME Marine Vessel Management Software gives ship and shore teams one record. Crews capture defects and evidence; shore teams review, assign corrective actions, monitor progress and follow each defect to closure.
Reported results
What changes when defects stop living in email
A defect record that carries its evidence, its priority history and its corrective action is a different object from a line in a spreadsheet. The difference shows up in how quickly shore responds and in how often the same defect comes back.
87%Defects closed within target resolution
32%Drop in recurring defects year on year
4.3 daysAverage response time
96%Defects with complete documentation and evidence
One connected workflow
Manage vessel defects through one connected workflow
PRIME Marine connects the people, the information and the actions involved in maritime defect management. Crew report a defect from onboard, add supporting evidence and submit it for shore review. Superintendents then assess the defect, review its priority, assign corrective actions and monitor progress from the same system.
Defect reported
Raised onboard against the vessel and the equipment, with evidence attached.
Action assigned
Shore reviews, confirms priority and assigns the corrective action.
Work completed
The repair is carried out, with any procurement connected.
Defect verified
The vessel confirms the physical work is done, not only initiated.
Defect closed
The record moves into closed history with its full trail intact.
That trail connects the original vessel report with the corrective work required to resolve the issue, which is what makes the record useful months later.
How it works
Five things a defect record has to do
Report, show, remember, agree and prove. PRIME Marine Defect Management handles each of them on the same record rather than across five places.
How does PRIME Marine track ship defects in real time?
PRIME Marine gives shore teams a centralised view of outstanding defects across their assigned vessels. A superintendent should be able to understand the condition of the fleet without waiting for the next vessel report.
Defects can be filtered by vessel, priority or system, so superintendents identify what needs attention without working through separate vessel reports. Each defect record keeps the information surrounding the issue together: what was reported, which vessel reported it, the priority, the action being taken and the current status.
- Fleet-wide visibility — outstanding defects across assigned vessels in one place
- Prioritised action — attention follows the assigned priority, not the order things arrived
- Shared information — ship and shore work from the same record and the same evidence
How can maritime crews report defects from onboard?
Crew members capture vessel defects onboard and submit the relevant information to the shore team through PRIME Marine. A defect report can include photo and video evidence, which gives the superintendent context about the reported condition instead of a written description alone.
PRIME Marine also supports defect reporting when onboard connectivity is unavailable. The system can save defect reports onboard and synchronise them when a connection becomes available. Crews keep recording during periods of limited connectivity, and the information reaches shore once communication is restored.
- Structured defect reports raised from the vessel
- Photo and video evidence attached at the point of reporting
- Reports saved onboard and synchronised when connectivity returns
Maintain the complete history behind every vessel defect
A recurring equipment problem requires a different approach from a defect that has been resolved once. PRIME Marine maintains defect history for equipment, so users review previous issues, repairs and actions taken.
When recurring problems appear, that history provides evidence for investigating the underlying cause rather than repeatedly treating the same symptom. Where a defect occurs repeatedly within a defined period, PRIME Marine can flag the issue for root-cause analysis.
Defect records become more valuable when teams analyse them over time. PRIME Marine supports defect analysis and trend reporting, which helps teams see where problems are developing across vessels or equipment instead of treating every defect as an isolated event. Analytics & KPIs carries that view to fleet level.
Align vessel and shore teams on defect priority
The vessel and the shore office may start with different views about how a defect should be prioritised. That disagreement is normal and usually informative, because each side can see something the other cannot.
PRIME Marine provides a shared workflow where the vessel suggests a priority and the shore office reviews, confirms or changes it. When the priority is changed, a comment can be recorded to give context for the decision. The discussion stays connected to the same defect record, the same supporting information and the same evidence.
- The vessel suggests a priority at the point of reporting
- Shore reviews, confirms or changes it
- A comment records why the priority changed
Verify that the defect is actually resolved
A defect being actioned by the shore office does not mean the physical repair has been completed onboard. PRIME Marine separates shore-side action from physical completion and verification.
The shore office can mark a defect as Actioned Ashore and connect it to the relevant purchase order. The defect stays open from the vessel’s perspective until the required work has been completed and verified onboard. A Work-Complete & Verified report then moves the defect into its closed history.
- Corrective action being initiated
- Work being completed
- Work being verified onboard
- The defect being formally closed
Connected modules
Connect defect management with the wider fleet workflow
Defect Management is part of PRIME Marine Vessel Management Software, so defects connect with the modules involved in resolving, maintaining and managing vessel issues.
Planned Maintenance
Move required corrective work into the wider maintenance workflow.
Procurement
Connect the parts and supplies required to resolve defects with purchasing.
Inventory
Track parts required for rectification against stock already held.
QHSE
Connect defects and non-conformities with safety and compliance workflows.
Analytics & KPIs
Turn defect records into trend reporting across vessels and equipment.
The record afterwards
Keep defect evidence with the defect record
PRIME Marine Vessel Management Software retains photos, videos, comments and related information within the defect record, which is what makes the record hold up when somebody asks about it later.
For warranty-related issues, the defect record brings the relevant evidence together: the original report, supporting media, communications, operational information and the final repair record. The same structure supports internal reviews, audits and investigations.
| When | When the defect was reported, as a time-stamped entry |
|---|---|
| Who | Who reported the defect |
| Evidence | Supporting photos and videos |
| Priority | Initial priority and every priority change, with the comment behind it |
| Communication | Communication between ship and shore |
| Action | Actions taken and related purchase orders |
| Closure | Completion and onboard verification |
Benefits
What PRIME Marine Defect Management gives your fleet
- Visibility — see outstanding defects across your vessels from one place
- Traceability — keep reports, actions, evidence and closure on the same record
- Faster response — give shore teams what they need to assess defects earlier
- Accountability — assign corrective actions and track them to completion
- Fleet insight — identify recurring defects and emerging patterns across equipment
- Connected workflows — link defects with maintenance, procurement, inventory and QHSE
| Module | Defect Management |
|---|---|
| Module group | Technical & Asset Management |
| Workflow | Reported → action assigned → work completed → verified → closed |
| Filters | Vessel, priority, system |
| Evidence | Photo and video, retained on the defect record |
| Connectivity | Reports saved onboard and synchronised when a connection returns |
| Vessels managed by PRIME Marine | 1,800+ |
| Defects closed within target resolution | 87% |
| Drop in recurring defects year on year | 32% |
| Average response time | 4.3 days |
| Defects with complete documentation and evidence | 96% |
| System uptime | 99.9% |
| Fewer non-conformities | 40% |
| Paperless operations | 95% |
| Pricing | Custom plan per fleet |
Book a demo
See defect management across your fleet
Bring your fleet size, vessel types and current defect workflow. See how PRIME Marine Vessel Management Software connects onboard defect reporting, shore-side review, corrective actions, maintenance, procurement, inventory and QHSE workflows.
- Bring a real open defect and work it through
- We reply within one business day
- No credit card and no obligation
Answers
Frequently asked questions about maritime defect management
How do I track defects and maintenance status across multiple ships in real time?
PRIME Marine provides a fleet-wide defect dashboard where shore teams view outstanding defects across assigned vessels. Defects can be filtered by vessel, priority and system, giving superintendents a central view of fleet condition and corrective actions.
How can I get real-time visibility into defects and drydock costs across my fleet?
Defects are visible through the fleet-wide dashboard and can be reviewed by vessel, priority and system. Connected maintenance and procurement workflows provide the operational information required to manage corrective work. For fleet-level cost visibility, PRIME Marine Vessel Management Software connects maintenance activity with its wider financial and operational workflows, including shipyard project management.
How do I search defect history across sister ships?
PRIME Marine maintains historical defect records for equipment and vessels. Teams review previous defects and repairs to identify recurring issues that may need further investigation, which helps superintendents move beyond resolving individual reports to identifying patterns across the fleet.
How do I speed up shore response to ship defects?
PRIME Marine brings the defect report, the supporting evidence and the priority information together for the shore team. Crew submit structured defect reports with photos or videos, and superintendents review the issue, assess its priority and assign corrective actions without waiting for separate email exchanges.
Is there a defect reporting app for ship masters?
PRIME Marine supports onboard defect reporting, so crew capture and submit defects from the vessel. Supporting photos and videos can be added to the report, giving shore teams additional context when reviewing the issue.
Does PRIME Marine support photo uploads for ship defects?
Yes. Defect reports can include photo and video evidence, allowing the shore team to review the reported condition with additional context. The evidence stays connected to the defect record and forms part of the defect history and closure trail.
How does PRIME Marine handle recurring defects?
PRIME Marine maintains the history of defects associated with equipment. When a new defect is reported, previous issues and repairs can be reviewed. Recurring defects can be flagged for root-cause analysis, which helps teams investigate underlying problems instead of repeatedly addressing the same symptom.
Can a defect be connected to a purchase order?
Yes. When a vessel defect requires procurement activity, the corrective workflow can be connected to the relevant purchase order. That keeps a clear trail from the reported defect through the action required to resolve it, with inventory showing what is already held onboard.
How does PRIME Marine verify that a defect has actually been resolved?
PRIME Marine separates shore-side action from physical completion onboard. A defect can be marked Actioned Ashore while remaining open until the repair is completed and verified by the vessel. A Work-Complete & Verified report then moves the defect into its closed history.
How can defect records support audits and investigations?
PRIME Marine maintains a time-stamped history of the defect, including the original report, supporting evidence, communications, priority, actions and closure information. That provides a structured record for internal reviews, audits and inspections and investigations.
Ready when you are
See defect management across your fleet
Onboard reporting, shore-side review, corrective actions and verified closure, shown on your own vessels and your own defect workflow.
Part of Technical & Asset Management in PRIME Marine Vessel Management Software