Qatar Shipyard receives remote survey approval from ABS

Milestone achievement in the use of remote inspection technologies at shipyards

As part of a pioneering joint development project (JDP), ABS says it has approved a range of ship repair and retrofit work processes for remote survey at Qatar Shipyard and Technology Solutions. ABS tested, validated and approved remote survey techniques at Qatar Shipyard and Technology Solutions for a number of survey tasks which included rudder clearance inspection; stern tube weardown inspection; and rudder plug opening inspection.

It is the culmination of the JDP, which explored how techniques developed by ABS for its industry leading program of remote survey of vessels in service can optimize scheduling and minimize downtime for the shipyard, vessels and ABS surveyors. The framework established in these activities will serve as the foundation for expanded projects.

“ABS is taking our leadership in the remote survey of operational vessels and applying that experience and insight to the shipyard. The potential of these technologies is significant, promising enhancements in the efficacy of surveys, being less intrusive to the asset and reducing risks to personnel like exposure to potentially hazardous environments,” said Erkan Erkul, ABS Business Development, Qatar.

"This collaboration with ABS aligns perfectly with our mission to provide innovative and sustainable, effective solutions to our customers," said Damir Glavan, Chief Executive Officer at Qatar Shipyard Technology Solutions. "By offering remote surveys for the vessels, we are achieving more efficient, faster and safer operations."

ABS is leading the way forward in applying technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), crawlers, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and wearable technologies to augment traditional class-related surveys and inspections.