The seaworthiness of a vessel is one of the most important considerations for any maritime operator. Whether you are responsible for a small passenger ship or bulk carrier, compliance laws are getting stricter to ensure that crew members and passengers are kept safe and marine pollution levels are kept to a minimum. Penalties can be serious, but if a ship isn’t inspected and maintained, it can also have a serious detrimental effect on a ship’s trading ability, meaning additional time waiting for critical repairs either stuck in port or out at sea.
Taking preventative measures is surely better than suffering mechanical failure in the middle of a voyage or fighting a lengthy legal battle, but with the costs associated with regular inspections, many operators still choose to take the risk. Any kind of inspection is notoriously difficult on a ship, and the hazardous nature of the environment, combined with the harsh conditions to which vessels are exposed mean that regular inspections of a ships structural integrity as well as its tanks and internal infrastructure need to be carried out at least once every 12 months. But surveys take time – hundreds of man hours can be spent inspecting each and every nook and cranny of a ship’s internal and external structure – looking for structural deformation, cracks and any signs of wear and tear which may pose a risk to either crew members, passengers or the marine environment. Time is money after all…
Time Saving Technology
One of the greatest benefits of technological advancement is the amount of time it has saved us completing basic or laborious tasks. From maps on smart phones to email – many of us don’t know how we survived without digital technology and there are greater innovations being released each day, with automotive vehicles and robotic healthcare systems already being trialled across the world. One technology which is having a massive, disruptive impact in many commercial sectors is the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). In as short a time as five years, UAS, or drones, have revolutionised
the way we can look at the world and our surroundings. Forget about spying on your neighbours or taking an aerial image of your house – commercial UAS are saving businesses huge amounts of time and money.
The ability to remotely view and capture imagery from the air has meant that UASs are being used to complete commercial and industrial tasks which are notoriously difficult and dangerous for workers. From inspections of tall structures such as powerlines and wind turbines, to assisting with search and rescue missions in an emergency situation such as a fire, drones are making hazardous working conditions a consideration of the past in many industries.
Drones do have their limitations though. Many drones are limited in flight time, payload capacity and also need a clear space in which to fly, making them suitable for outdoor use only. These limitations have meant that a survey of complex structures or confined indoor spaces has until now been undertaken manually.
The most common drones on the market, both in the commercial and hobbyist markets are quadcopters. As the name suggests, quadcopters have four rotors which propel the drone vertically into the air. These exposed rotors mean that the drone relies on clear airspace for both safety and performance, and high winds and heavy particles such as sand and dust can render many models unflyable. The exposed rotors also pose a risk of personal injury as well as damage to the unit should it come into contact with a person or object such as a wall, or tree, again, meaning that a quadcopter cannot be used in close quarters.
The Report • March 2020 • Issue 91 | 55
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