A survey by Bureau Veritas on Monday marked the first time ever a Singaporean-flagged harbour tug has undergone a fully accredited annual survey conducted remotely, without a surveyor physically present onboard.
The remote marine survey took place onboard the LNG dual fuel tug ‘PSA Aspen’, owned by PSA Marine, and was supported by MPA Singapore.
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With the aid of smart mobile devices and an optimised live-streaming application, the crew onboard ‘PSA Aspen’ and a surveyor in BV’s Singapore office, were able to communicate effectively to conduct the annual marine survey of classification and statutory requirements.
The BV surveyor conveyed instructions live, seeing and recording relevant images and real-time video, while archiving material capability for the electronic survey report.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forcefully revealed the importance of digitalization within the shipping industry, with several classification societies opting for remote surveys in recent months.
Specifically, remote survey delivery was already an important feature of Paris-headquartered class’ digitalization drive:
“We were ready to deliver remotely and had started developing a world-wide network of remote survey centers (RSC). We can see that the pandemic has accelerated an understanding of the potential of digitally delivered services. Our work with PSA Marine, focused on delivering pragmatic digital services, is helping to ensure operational continuity while building trust and supporting innovation and Singapore’s digital transformation roadmap,”
…explained David Barrow, Vice-President, South Asia Zone, Bureau Veritas M&O.
See also: Remote surveys on the rise: Pros and Cons
