Bureau Veritas (BV) in Singapore along with Nokia and Sembcorp Marine successfully conducted remote surveys that pave the way for establishing a new class procedure for the remote inspection of vessels under construction.
The COVID-19 measures implemented throughout the globe led to the industry’s development towards digitalization, with many stakeholders conducting their operations remotely.
The partners conducted the pilot trial in August 2020 via a test-bedded remote surveys on a new-build vessel construction at Sembcorp Marine’s Tuas Boulevard Yard. Various checks were carried out to assess the integrity of the hull components, which were in various stages of construction. The checks included material verification, panel fit-up, as well as visual inspections of the sub-assembly block.
The remote monitoring centre at Tuas Boulevard Yard communicated effectively with Sembcorp Marine’s quality control (QC) inspectors, located at the vessel’s fabrication and assembly sites. The QC inspectors were equipped with rugged head-mounted cameras with high-definition video streaming and voice communication functionalities that enabled the BV surveyor stationed at the remote monitoring centre to verify production quality and spot defects.
In addition, as part of its innovation and sustainability strategy, Sembcorp Marine has embraced Industry 4.0 technologies including digital design, advanced manufacturing and the Industrial Internet-of-Things (IIOT) to boost its production capabilities and capacity.
Through this success, BV, Nokia and Sembcorp Marine have further reinforced the feasibility of complementing remote surveying with specific traditional surveys without compromising personnel safety and survey quality.
David Barrow, Bureau Veritas Vice-President – Marine & Offshore, South Asia and Pacific commented that
As we now move forward in our ever complex digital world, and manage new norms of working post COVID-19, we feel that true success is often about working collaboratively with stakeholders.
