ABS Leads Industry by Introducing Remote Survey for Offshore Assets

The majority of the world’s offshore drilling units are now eligible for remote survey after ABS, the global leader in offshore classification, introduced a range of new remote survey options for offshore assets.

Already the industry’s most comprehensive remote survey program, ABS has expanded its options for offshore operators to use remote survey technologies to streamline the survey process to include the majority of class and statutory annuals.

The move ensures that ABS, which provides classification services to more than half of the global fleet of mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs), continues to lead the industry in the development of digital class services.

“Remote survey is now business as usual in the marine industry and our deep experience with the offshore industry means we are uniquely placed to ensure the many benefits can now be extended to our offshore clients for the first time,” said Matt Tremblay, ABS Senior Vice President Global Offshore. “The range of remote services we offer the industry means operators can now simply book a survey and ABS will help the operator decide how best to carry out the work with the least operational interference.”

ABS has also extended its remote survey and audit services to existing equipment manufacturing and external specialist clients enrolled in ABS programs.

Users of the ABS My Freedom™ Client Portal can take advantage of ABS Smart Scheduler™, which leverages real-time AIS data to maintain fleet compliance and is the industry’s only mobile survey booking tool enabling any survey, including remote surveys, to be scheduled in less than a minute anytime, anywhere – even when there is no internet access. It tracks survey status for all vessels in a fleet and then issues alerts when surveys are due.

When the oil and gas industry first put drilling structures offshore, its pioneers turned to ABS. ABS classed its first mobile offshore drilling unit in 1958, followed by the classification of the first jack up, semisubmersible, drillship, FPSO, TLP and spar. As renewable energy and alternative fuels grew in importance, ABS continued to lead class by certifying the first semisubmersible offshore wind turbine and the first tri-fuel support vessel to use hybrid power. After more than 70 years as the world's leading offshore classification organization, the industry continues to look to ABS for innovative technical solutions that promote safe, sustainable offshore operations.

Join ABS specialists to hear more about the potential benefits of offshore remote survey in a webinar titled Expanded Offerings Support Virtual Operations on November 12 - register here. More information on ABS Remote Survey is available here.