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MARINE | Inspections and surveys In association with MatthewsDaniel
Back to the future The arrival of Covid-19 demanded a switch from physical vessel inspections to remote only using innovative new technology. This has brought some benefits and possible cost savings for all but Simon Ward, Director, MatthewsDaniel, argues that physical attendance by an experienced individual must remain the baseline of the system when possible Over time, the modern merchant fleet has been subject to an increasing number of ‘essential’ inspections and surveys. They range from statutory Class and Flag State inspections and surveys, through to specific insurer or charter party requirements. These include the Offshore Vessel Inspection Database created by the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF OVID) and the Common Marine Inspection Document produced by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA eCMID). This in turn has led to a sense of dependence on these surveys from those who use the output as part of their management, safety and quality assurance systems. However, the COVID-19 global pandemic has seriously impacted the ability to undertake such surveys over the last year. For this reason service providers have increasingly been looking The Marine Insurer Nordic & Asia Special Edition | April 2021
to innovative solutions to satisfy inspection requirements because of the restricted travel and closed borders. Without suspending these surveys and impacting the established assurance regimes and safety management systems on which they rely, the main solution has been the ‘remote survey’.
FALSE COMFORT? The question now seems to be ‘can a remote survey ever fully replace on board attendance as a means of delivering what is actually required from the inspection?’ Also, on the back of these ‘soft touch’ surveys and as consequence of them, is there a building level of risk that is currently masked by a sense of comfort that the survey box has been ticked digitally? The fact that these surveys were ever required in the first place indicates that there was a value to them. The service providers trusted to deliver them are generally staffed by experienced mariners. These deck officers or marine engineers, or even naval architects with no seagoing experience use their experienced eyes, in conjunction with a well-defined scope of work, that identify any areas of concern. A physical visit not only satisfies the objective elements of the survey but also provided subjective added value – first impressions at the top of the gangway or sensing the general atmosphere during attendance can tell an experienced surveyor a lot about a vessel. The move to remote attendance has been a necessary shift because of global Covid-19 restrictions. Aside from the necessity of the change, there have also been additional benefits for the clients as well as the wider marine community. Firstly, clients can now ‘take part’ in the survey via a suitably secure weblink. This gives service providers the opportunity to explain more fully, with the aid of live or recorded visuals, what lies behind key observations, often in real time.
