DNV GL has opened a new operational centre for remote surveys and offers a ship-to-cloud data infrastructure service
This is DNV GL’s second operational centre after it opened a facility in Oslo, Norway, dedicated to delivering remote services in 2019.
The Hamburg centre was opened as DNV GL reported delivering 20,000 remote surveys to date and began offering Kongsberg’s Vessel Insight cloud-based service.
“The launch of this cutting-edge facility is a clear demonstration of our commitment to making our experts even more accessible to our customers, whenever they need them,” said DNV GL maritime director for ship classification and technical director Geir Dugstad.
“We could never have foreseen the [Covid-19] pandemic, but our significant experience with remote services has meant we have been able to meet its challenges head-on, while ensuring that our customers receive the same level of quality and assurance as an onboard survey,” said Mr Dugstad.
DNV GL first piloted remote surveys in October 2018. Demand for these surveys accelerated as the world was gripped by restrictions imposed to tackle the global coronavirus crisis.
Since February 2020, DNV GL has seen a 33% increase in the number of remote surveys delivered. It has undertaken around 300 a week on average since the pandemic’s outbreak, with 35% of all survey requests now being undertaken remotely.
DNV GL maritime senior vice president for fleet-in-service Hamburg and technical support in Germany, Matthias Galle, expects this new operational centre will facilitate more remote surveys for the future.
“With the pandemic ongoing, it is vital that our customers can continue to operate and deliver without disruptions to class services,” Mr Galle said. “At the same time, we cannot compromise the safety of crews and surveyors.”
The Hamburg operational centre has six connected 55-inch screens with integrated software. These screens enable DNV GL remote surveyors to view the live stream from a ship located anywhere in the world, while having simultaneous access to a dashboard containing all the relevant vessel information.
Using the same interface, surveyors can also maintain simultaneous communication with the customer in real time throughout the process, instead of travelling to the vessel.
There is an online connection or video streaming link between the ship and surveyor, who is supported with documentation, images and input provided by the customer and crew on board.
DNV GL is also enabling shipping companies to implement digitalisation strategies through technical qualification of Kongsberg’s Vessel Insight technology, safety and cyber security. This is a subscription-based service for operators to begin standardising their data collection and contextualisation.
DNV GL’s technical qualification is an independent assessment, providing evidence that a technology will function within specified operational limits and with an acceptable level of confidence, said Kongsberg Digital executive vice president for digital ocean Andreas Jagtøyen.
“A secure and reliable data infrastructure plays a critical role in enabling the digitalisation of the maritime industry,” said Mr Jagtøyen.
“The safety of crew and vessel and the confidentiality, integrity and availability of vessel data are key requirements for creating value with digital solutions,” he added.
DNV GL said in its technical qualification report “Vessel Insight, consisting of both hardware and software, is intended to enable capturing data on board a vessel, transfer this data securely to the cloud, and provide access to operational insights based on this data to onshore fleet operations staff.”
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