In uncertain times and challenging conditions during the Corona pandemic, classification society DNV GL has embraced remote surveys
The shipping industry is built on movement – keeping vessels on track, delivering around the world, and ensuring that global trade[ds_preview] continues. When the Covid-19 crisis hit, however, movement of people had to stop. But vitally the movement of essential goods needed to continue, and as safely and efficiently as the world expects it to every day.
Our focus is on safety – meaning that surveyors and surveys had to continue on as normally – as much as humanly possible. And we needed to ensure that we could do our part to keep the fleet in service running for our customers – by making sure that wherever possible surveys could continue to be delivered – even where, due to restrictions, a surveyor might not be able to attend the vessel.
DATE service
We in the position, however, that rather than having to invent something new, we were able to ramp up an already existing service – remote surveys. With the first trials in 2018 and full fleet wide access from February 2019, DNV GL can truly say we have pioneered this service in ship classification. From their first introduction, remote surveys have resulted in considerable savings in operational downtime as well as travel time and expenses.
The globally available 24/7 DATE (Direct Access to Technical Experts) centres were at the forefront of taking on the challenge of delivering the remote surveys and meeting the rapidly growing demand in 2020. This unique service has proven to be of significant value to our customers and allowed us to ensure safety and regulatory compliance through the use of modern technology. With specialists in operational centres in Hamburg, Oslo, Houston, Piraeus and Singapore, coverage is ensured around the clock.
The remote survey service has also expanded to trial the first remote periodic surveys, even though most remain for minor conditions of class. Not all surveys can be completed remotely, but DNV GL’s survey request system on Veracity can automatically indicate whether a survey can be executed remotely or not.
Lessons learnt
With the experience that comes from having delivered far more remote surveys than any other class, we have learned several lessons about what makes for a successful remote survey. First up is communication. There are many ways to successfully complete a remote survey – the crew can be in constant contact with the surveyor, transmitting live video, or through supplying photographic and documentary evidence of the completed work or issue.
For direct video communication, 3G is generally the minimum, but 4G or even VSAT is the best option. Occasionally a poor connection will prevent using live video, but with creative solutions, even surveying from deep within the vessel is possible. In one instance, the crew suspended a router from a skylight to transmit live video from within the engine room.
Even without a live link we can accept recorded videos of work being done that is relayed from an area with a stronger connection, so long as this is properly verified. As well as the crew assisting in remote surveys, third party contractors can also deliver specialized services to aid in performing some types of surveys by using, for example, trained drone and ROV operators. Recently DNV GL completed a series of ship surveys using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) on three Wilson-managed vessels – the world’s first in-water remote ship surveys.
In addition to the significant savings in operational downtime and travel costs, because all of the evidence from remote surveys are digital documents, for example the videos of work being done, photos and notes, the information can be much more easily archived and the key findings extracted and analysed. This store of information on the open Veracity platform could also prove extremely useful when surveying sister vessels, or for customers to supply to other stakeholders in the future.
The accessibility and quality of data coming in from remote surveys could add even more value and interest in the service, especially as customers have embraced remote surveys. For some jobs, of course, inspections in person are preferable for periodic surveys, but remote surveys have more than proved their worth under this year’s difficult circumstances and are becoming the preferred method for handling occasional surveys.
CMC services
We also worked to provide component and material certification (CMC) services remotely, where needed, during the pandemic. Already, this unique DNV GL service has proven to be of significant value. More than 100 clients have been onboarded for DNV GL’s remote survey service for CMC in Germany since it was first introduced, and 1,160 in-country remote surveys have been carried out since March 2020.
In addition, the launch of the new Machinery Maintenance Connect (MMC) gave customers a new way to carry out the machinery planned maintenance system (MPMS) surveys. Instead of requiring surveyors to travel to each individual vessel and go onboard, machinery data can be processed via algorithms and presented to customers in a digital dashboard – enabling the survey of a complete fleet in one process and unlocking new insights into vessel and fleet performance.
By using the data from the vessels, alongside a powerful learning algorithm, we can remotely perform the maintenance survey of a customer’s whole fleet in one process, saving time and reducing the disruption of daily operations. In one case we completed surveys on 49 vessels in roughly four hours, something that would normally take 50 separate onboard surveyor visits. And the data is all right there – easily and directly accessible by management in real time.
The pandemic has also shown us how modern technology can overcome other obstacles created by the pandemic. Despite conventional shipping events and exhibitions having been cancelled or postponed, the dissemination of knowledge and ideas has not been choked off and may even have increased by way of webinars and online conferences and meetings – something that was unimaginable just last year. As this year’s SMM shows us – you don’t always need to be in the same room to connect. But for many things, personal connection can’t be beaten.
Stener Stenersen, Head of Department – TechnicalSupport, DNV GL Maritime
