Can Drones Help Ship Class Surveys?

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Smart shipping is the new agenda of today’s marine industry where traditional shipping principles are overseen with a new eye. Its drones that now revolutionize marine inspection by providing effective remote monitoring capabilities and carry out class survey on large vessels.

The two prominent classification societies, ABS and RINA, has approved this technology developed by the Robotics in Maintenance Strategies (RIMS).

Who is RIMS?

The RIMS is a pioneer in the field of remote maintenance technology, probably due to its solitary recognition from the classification societies. This adds up to its earlier approval from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore as an approved marine inspection service supplier .

David Knukkel, CEO of RIMS, says,“To receive approval from Bureau Veritas is a real breakthrough for us in the shipping industry. To be acknowledged by one of the largest established and respected class societies shows that we are on the right track to deliver safe and approved drone surveys for the marine industry”.

It is the only service provider with exclusive permissions to work on inspection and survey of enclosed spaces using drones. Also, it claims that their inception into the marine maintenance service will possibly reduce the downtime and improve scheduled survey using visual records.

CEO’s Anticipation

RIMS is at its prime time in the digital shipping age, and its CEO is very much optimistic about his company’s future in the marine services business.  He says, “Drone and robotic technologies can be used for autonomous and sustainable surveying. Shipowners and managers can invite RIMS to attend during a class survey to support surveyors to visualise objects that are to be inspected live on screen. Appointing RIMS to provide this service reduces the time to carry out scheduled survey work and avoids unnecessary costs of access equipment such as scaffolding or cherry pickers. This will also lead to minimising risk and physical evidence, bringing substantial benefits to owners, insurers and classification societies”.

Also, he quotes that he is more promising about his company’s future being the sole recipient of remote maintenance of ships from renowned classification societies. He reveals this as he says,“The company was the first in the world with approvals from all three classification societies. This means that we have managed to realise a real shift in the maritime industry with acceptance of using new technology. These latest acknowledgements by these respected societies reinforces that we are delivering safe, sustainable, cost effective and quality approved services in the marine industry”.

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Source: Rims BV