Class society Bureau Veritas (BV) is now offering owners and operators a range of new methods to survey their ships through Remote Inspection Techniques operated by BV’s own surveyors in France, including various types of remotely operated vehicles.
The announcement follows two years of work to assess the potential, usage and value of Remote Inspection Techniques, which BV validated through a series of tests, Proof of Concepts (POC) and pilot surveys with aerial and underwater drones, and crawlers on different types of vessels
In applicable cases, particularly the close-up inspection of large cargo and ballast spaces at renewal or intermediate surveys, BV conducted surveys with drones operated by RIT service suppliers certified by BV and contracted by ship owners. The class society says it has now approved 41 RIT Operators.
BV has also invested in aerial drones and the training of BV surveyors to be able to command drones operated by its own staff. The first surveys with aerial drones operated by BV surveyors took place in early 2022, on a cable laying ship and a container ship, at renewal and intermediate surveys.
“Digitalisation and Remote Inspection Techniques are boosting shipping’s entire business operations,” said Bruno Dabouis, VP South Europe, North Africa & North America at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore.
“The advantage of using aerial drones in applicable cases has been fully confirmed, and technologies are developing fast. This investment in new technologies and training is an important milestone. Shipping is evolving, class is evolving. This is a significant step in safety, time and costs of running inspection surveys.”
