Remote and Augmented Surveys

The technologies reducing risk and advancing Digital Classification

Conducting onboard surveys can be a time-consuming and costly process, as surveyors and personnel are exposed to significant risks while performing close-up hull structure inspections and accessing confined spaces and hazardous areas. Ship owners and offshore unit operators must undertake appropriate safety measures, adding to survey preparation time and overall maintenance costs.

To facilitate safer, cost-optimized surveys, Bureau Veritas has developed remote and augmented surveys. As part of our Digital Classification offer, we are using remotely controlled drones and robots, live-streaming solutions and augmented reality (AR) to conduct remote inspections, reducing the need for physical, onboard surveys. This helps owners minimize on-site survey costs, reduce risk and take a modern approach to asset maintenance.

The power of seeing remotely

By using remote and augmented survey technologies like drones, ROVs and crawlers, surveyors can safely conduct onboard surveys, allowing owners to optimize the inspection process. Using this technology, Bureau Veritas has already performed a successful drone-led ship inspection in Italy. 
 

The ability to decide remotely

Three types of remote verification allow owners to make decisions from a distance. With offline remote verification, owners can send collected images to Bureau Veritas for later review. Partly online remote verification allows clients to videoconference directly with Bureau Veritas and make real-time decisions. Fully online remote verification uses connected devices to carry out onboard data and image capture, submission and verification simultaneously and in real-time. Live-streaming capabilities have already allowed us to conduct a remote engine test in China, thanks to technology that offers an optimal experience even in the case of low connectivity and bandwidth.

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Wide scope and global availability

Remote surveys can be used for a range of classification surveys and specific statutory items agreed on by Flag Administrations. Thanks to our Remote Survey Centers, the first of which was opened in Rotterdam in March 2020, Bureau Veritas experts can bring remote surveys to owners worldwide. To provide global coverage and availability, additional Remote Survey Centers will be opened in the second quarter of 2020.
 

A completely digital process

Once the remote survey has been conducted, and surveyors have evaluated a ship’s compliance, an electronically signed e-certificate can be issued when applicable. This ensures an entirely digital experience from end to end.
 

The next step: automatic defect detection

Augmented inspections will use new technologies, such as data science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) models using pattern-recognition software, to detect structural defects in advance and assess their severity. Data collected over time from ships or offshore units can be integrated into the 3D digital twin model developed during the newbuilding phase. This enables ship owners and managers to better monitor and maintain their assets throughout the operational lifecycle