Inspection Technologies News

Realizing the full value of digital solutions far exceeds the capability of technology. The technology exists today to help offshore energy and maritime operators radically improve efficiency and cut costs in equal measure. The real trick to driving efficiencies is to take advantage of the latest technologies while at the same time negotiating the necessary culture change within individual organizations, to really reap the benefits.Harvest Technology Group is a relatively young and small Australian company that has caught the attention of a number of offshore and subsea industry heavyweights…

A major joint operation organised by the Australian Border Force (ABF), World Customs Organization (WCO), the World Shipping Council and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has led to 43 arrests and more than 100 drug seizures, including 98,734 kilograms of cocaine and 314 kilograms of cannabis.58 countries were involved, and the ABF worked alongside officers from German Customs, United Kingdom Border Force, US Customs and Border Protection and the Dutch Customs Administration to deliver a series of coordinated strikes on organised crime.The operation…

Maritime classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Nakilat - Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd. (N-KOM) have teamed up to examine how techniques developed by ABS for its program of remote survey of vessels in service can be applied to surveys and inspections in the shipyard.Remote inspection technologies will be applied to six Class surveys for this trial, to test how they can then be used to verify the required survey or inspection by ABS Surveyors to optimize scheduling and minimize downtime for both the shipyard…

Global maritime communications powerhouse Inmarsat earlier this year announced a pair of new tech offerings – ORCHESTRA and ELERA – that are touted as ‘the communications network of the future.’ We caught up with Ronald Spithout, President, Inmarsat Maritime, for additional insights on how these services will power the future of maritime IoT.As digitalization and IoT continues to drive innovation across the maritime sector, satellite communication will serve as the conduit, and smaller, faster and cheaper is the mantra.

Classification Society ClassNK has released its “Guidelines for Non-destructive Inspection by Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing”.Phased array ultrasonic testing is an advanced non-destructive inspection technology that enables the visualizing of flaw detection results and the digitizing of the record-keeping process. It has higher detection performance for defects in materials and welded joints compared to conventional ultrasonic testing.In recent years, the application of phased array ultrasonic testing in various industrial fields has been increasing…

Classification society RINA signed an agreement with VRMedia, an augmented and virtual reality company, to boost the development of remote inspection technologies to carry out ship inspections using VRMedia’s Kiber system.Kiber is a wearable hardware and software fully integrated system for remote assistance, that allows the consultation and sharing of real time information between several participants through augmented reality tech.With the Kiber Helmet, a headset equipped with a video camera…

Classification society ABS has published new guidance notes detailing best practices for their use on class surveys and non-class inspections.The Guidance Notes on the Use of Remote Inspection Technologies cover pilot-operated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) and robotic crawlers, collectively known as remote inspection technologies (RIT).“The use of RITs can reduce risk for Surveyors and inspectors by lessening the need to access potentially hazardous locations at height, or other hazardous inspection areas.

The maritime industry has been challenged, to say the least. Today, where do you see challenge? Where do you see opportunity?It’s clear our business environment continues to change and we have a new definition of what normal means: nothing is normal. We are in era of rapid, disruptive and impactful change.The coming years will bring further turbulence, shaking out our industry and setting the course for the next 20 years and beyond. Market cycles will continue to evolve and will be impacted differently than they are today.For example…

As the global fleet of offshore renewables fleet increases, ways to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency and safety of operations and maintenance work, using robotics and autonomous systems, will also grow. Elaine Maslin reports.Robotics and autonomous systems are moving into many areas of modern day life. It’s becoming harder to avoid them, from our phones to automotive systems and now offshore energy renewable projects.Both are seen as tools to do otherwise dull, dirty or dangerous work…

ABS announced three senior management appointments as part of the organization’s digital class strategy. “As our markets are increasingly shaped by digital technology, ABS is setting the pace in digital innovation,” said ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “As part of our digital class journey, our entire organization is focused on digital developments and opportunities. Howard Fireman, previously the organization’s chief technology officer, will take on the role of ABS Chief Digital Officer (CDO) leading a global team of experts across the organization in the fields of data analytics, innovative inspection technologies…

Shell’s floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility Prelude has officially entered into Lloyd's Register (LR) class. At 488 meters long, 74 meters wide and displacing about 600,000 tonnes of water, Prelude is the largest floating offshore facility in the world. Last month Prelude arrived at its operating location in the Browse Basin, offshore northwest Australia. It will be moored at a depth of 250 meters and will not be dry-docked for the first 25 years of its expected 50-year operational life.

Canadian company Deep Trekker has launched a new inspection vehicle at Nor-Shipping 2017: the Deep Trekker DT640 Utility Crawler, the first three-wheeled vehicle of its kind. Equipped with an HD camera, magnetic wheels and a multitude of application specific add-ons, the Utility Crawler can perform an array of tasks, making it versatile and easy to deploy at a moment’s notice, the manufacturer said. The Utility Crawler, designed and built by Deep Trekker, is submersible to 50 meters…

Drones, remote inspection technologies and insights on cybersecurity were some of the main topics discussed at the DNV GL Innovation Day in Singapore. Some 120 representatives from shipowners, managers, manufacturing companies, yards and other stakeholders participated in the event held this week. Aimed at providing insights into the latest value creating digital solutions, the Innovation Day included ten presentations and drew upon DNV GL’s expertise in the maritime, software, energy and oil & gas sectors. “At DNV GL, we are constantly looking to collaborate with our customers to accelerate the delivery of innovations that address major challenges of the maritime industry.

Classification society DNV GL informs it has recently completed several tests using drones to support the hull survey of two vessels. Conducted by the classification team based in Gdansk, Poland, the tests took place at the Remontova shipyard, where the drones equipped with cameras were employed to visually check the condition of remote structural components. According to DNV GL, this practice has the potential to not only reduce survey times and staging costs, but at the same time improve safety for surveyors.

Welaptega Marine was awarded a contract to inspect the mooring system of the Nganhurra floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility operating in waters off the coast of North West Australia. Welaptega has sent a team of specialist engineers to the facility to conduct a Progressive Inspection program using its Rope Measurement System (RMS) and 3D-modeling system (3DM). “Our Progressive inspection philosophy is a guided examination of mooring systems that focuses on known problems and failure modes,” says Tony Hall, President and CEO of Welaptega Marine. Nganhurra FPSO is operated by Woodside Energy Ltd., and is the first oil production facility in the deep waters off the North West Cape.

Welaptega Marine awarded contract for a mooring inspection & fitness for purpose evaluation on 'Dhirubhai-1' floating production storage & offloading (FPSO) vessel. The Dhirubhai-1 floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility is located in the Bay of Bengal, off the eastern coast of India, and the contract client is Aker Floating Production. A team of specialist engineers will deploy Welaptega’s suite of visualization and inspection technologies including the High-Definition 3D Video (HD3DV), 3D Modeling (3DM), Opticial Chain Measurement System (CMS), Subsea Chain Measurement Caliper and the Rope Measurement System (RMS).

President's request. private sector. established priorities for homeland security. from future terrorist attacks. million above the amounts proposed by the President. billion. and testing. security operations). This includes $2 billion for U.S. security activities. $530 million for "Deepwater". $10 million for transit security and training. million above amounts requested by the President. excellence. 2003 enacted levels. infrastructure. $1.15 billion for the U.S. operations centers.