Next-Generation Shipbuilding Inspection

Poland’s Remontowa Shipbuilding recently inspected the UK-flagged chemical and product tanker CPO Japan using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The drone, equipped with a high-definition camera capable of recording HD videos and photos, accessed all parts of the tanker as part of her five-year class renewal inspection.

Remontowa believes the UAV will expedite operations at its shipyards. According to reports, the drone exhibited excellent stability in inspecting the internal spaces of a ship in confined space and was able to rest against the CPO Japan’s bulkhead while hovering.

The drone provides surveyors with an overall impression of the state of the hull and bulkheads under inspection, and the technology may also be applied to the inspection of masts and deck crane jibs. The UAV primarily assesses corrosion and detects cracks. Visual inspection may rule out the necessity of conducting more detailed inspections such as ultrasound thickness measurements.   

The CPO Japan is a 51,747 dwt vessel with a gross tonnage of 29,363 tons.