Page 38 - 2021 - Q2 - Minerva in Focus

MARITIME TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Seafarers zoom

in on remote ship

surveys

What happens in a remote survey? Crew feedback helps to improve processes
by Leonidas Karystios
DNV’s remote surveyors and the customer As the practice grows, customer feedback
DNV Regional Business Development & first identify, collect, and review all neces- is helping DNV to enhance remote surveys
Gas Segment Director, South East Europe, sary documents. We may have online con- and make the process easier and safer
Middle East & Africa versations with the shipmaster and chief for crews acting as our eyes and ears on
engineer and take written statements ships. Feedback is generally positive, but
from them. We need access to the relevant the deeper value lies in discovering what
Remote surveys directed by DNV experts documentation, typically repair reports, customers think could be done to improve
ashore, with crews handling cameras on spare parts delivery notices/orders, etc. the experience in the future.
vessels, have become more common as DNV and the customer also plan what
Covid-19 lockdowns have prevented sur- should happen during the survey, and who Surveyor visits remain essential
veyors from travelling to some locations. will do it. As part of this process, they work
Covid aside, a remote survey eliminates out how to avoid any safety risks to cam- Typical reasons for remote survey re-
waiting time for a surveyor to reach the era operators (or their crewmates) whose quests include, among others, condition
vessel, as well as unnecessary travel costs. attention will be on handling the camera, handling, occasional surveys, minor dam-
Surveys can be performed by remote sur- typically built into a smartphone, tablet, age surveys, postponement of surveys,
veyors 24/7, anywhere in the world, even or safety helmet. and completion of periodical surveys with
for a vessel in a remote location. Remote minor outstanding items. One example
surveys are quicker, produce survey doc- Mobile cameras are essential equipment of an ‘occasional survey’ being required
umentation instantly, and even cut down on board surveyed vessels is when there is a change of load line on
on carbon dioxide emissions. a vessel that already has multiple load
Crew members could then find them- lines assigned. This can normally be done
Crews play key roles in remote surveys selves walking around with cameras to remotely depending on individual flag au-
send DNV still pictures and live-streamed thorisation. Once a remote survey request
Seafarers play key roles in enabling re- or recorded videos. For example, we may has been made through DNV’s Veracity
mote surveys to deliver superior safety ask the camera handler to zoom in on a portal, a surveyor is assigned. Various
and business benefits to their shipmates replacement valve’s nameplate showing steps and evidence will then need to be
and vessel owners. They will be called on the manufacturer and serial number. followed/submitted as a bare minimum.
increasingly to fulfil these roles. Remote This work will be slow as our remote Not all surveys can be handled remotely.
ship surveys were catching on even before surveyors give directions so as to witness DNV has also performed pilots for remote
2020, and for some types of surveys, the everything they need to see. They provide periodical surveys, but experience has
approach could become the ‘new normal’ clear instructions, enabling the crew to shown that onboard surveys are the prefer-
after the pandemic. get it right the first time and safely. Crew able survey method in these cases. However,
For crews assisting with remote DNV sur- members working on different vessels requests are evaluated case-by-case, and
veys, real-time instructions come via an may find slight variations in how surveys we check that a remote survey is appropri-
online connection or video streaming link are conducted. For example, on a tanker, ate. For example, while it is normally pos-
from our remote surveyors strategically an explosion-proof camera needs to be sible to conduct remote surveys when an
located in one of our Technical Access to used to eliminate the risks associated anchor is lost, it is not usually possible when
Technical Experts (DATE) units. with electronic devices on deck. the vessel has been in a major collision.

36 MINERVA IN FOCUS – ISSUE 16 / Q2 2021