RINA performs world’s first statutory and class surveys using live streaming remote technologies

Italian class society RINA has successfully carried out the world’s first statutory and associated class intermediate surveys with the use of remote technologies on the bulk carrier Cielo di Gaspesie, owned by the d’Amico Group. On completion, the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), who attended the survey remotely, authorized RINA to certify the Cielo di Gaspesie.

The survey included an inspection of the hull and machinery. The ship is subject to the enhanced programme of inspections set by the international ESP Code; close-up surveys of ballast tanks and cargo holds were carried out accordingly, through drones.

It is anticipated that LISCR’s recent approval of RINA’s remote inspection technology for Liberian flagged vessels will soon be followed by other flag administrations and comes as class as a whole is discussing how remote technologies are here to stay for ship inspections.

Following the completion of the survey, the Cielo di Gaspesie was assigned the new class notation Remote by RINA. This new notation identifies the ships deemed by the society to be eligible to be surveyed remotely for the largest scope of class surveys as well as periodical ones.

Paolo Moretti, CEO of RINA Services, said “The shipping industry is going through a permanent change. The Covid-19 emergency has just accelerated the already growing demand for remote services from the industry. From the beginning of the pandemic, the request for remote inspections has tripled compared to the previous period. Thanks to our app and live streaming technology, not only is safety guaranteed, but also the time taken for inspections is optimised. Remote technologies reach a level of detail that the human eye can’t and allows RINA’s specialists attending onshore to carry out an even more detailed inspection of the vessel.”

Earlier this week Splash reported how another class society, DNV GL, had deployed a drone to inspect a 19.4 m high oil tank onboard a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel. The video shot by the drone was interpreted in real-time by an algorithm to detect cracks in the structure.