Mostly, ships will drydock on routes upon which they trade.
Deviation is uncommon nowadays.
The basic repair cost, especially its labor and steel components, remains the most important factor when negotiating a repair operation, although for some niche markets, such as cruise vessel, delivery times also play a major role. The quality of both the repair itself and the steel which is utilized are becoming more important to many of the more traditional shipowners. For the past two decades, the Singapore area has retained its place as the world's leading ship repair centre. However, cheaper repair prices from mainland China have led to a many general repair contracts being placed in Chinese yards instead of the Singapore area. The price difference is marked.