Bureau Veritas (BV) has opened a new remote survey center in Singapore, with more new locations to follow, as the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services provider continues its digital transformation and push to prove remote class services amid travel restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. The newest site joins existing BV remote survey centers in Rotterdam, Piraeus, Istanbul and Dubai.
Classification societies and other marine services providers have long striven to increase remote services in an effort to boost efficiencies and reduce costs. More recently, these efforts have intensified as the maritime industry turns to digital technologies to maintain operations despite restrictions and safety concerns brought on by the global health crisis.
David Barrow, Vice President South Asia for Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore commenting, said, "As we continue the digitalization of classification, our well-developed remote and digital delivery platform is providing the options as well as instant access to our expertise that our clients need. Both they and a broad range of stakeholders involved are seeing the benefits of remote surveys. We were using them before the current pandemic and they will be here for good now.
"With our ‘Digital Classification’ transformation well underway, Bureau Veritas is leading the way into the future with digital services that are accessible to all clients at any stage of their digital development."
BV personnel are now using a range of technologies to support classification clients including 3D digital twin technology; aerial drones, ROV, crawlers and other robotics; webcams, smart glasses and augmented reality; and artificial intelligence (AI) and data science.
These technologies enable BV to provide ship owners, shipyards and other maritime stakeholders with a smart, collaborative approach to classification. "From design to construction, and throughout operations, Digital Classification supports BV’s mission to help clients not only be safe and sustainable but make better, data-driven decisions to improve asset operations and maintenance," the group said.
In parallel BV has developed guidance and notations providing a pragmatic path to cyber security for both new and existing ships.