IMO Guidelines & Limitations of Remote Inspections

Highlights

• Remote surveys are addressed in IMO guidelines covering the examination of the hull structure, machinery components, and other systems, with the hull structure as the main focus.
• No physical attendance of a surveyor is required, while a trained or competent crew member or qualified technician and two-way audio and video communication are required.
• Reporting requirements include the type and age of the ship, justification for the remote method, items verified remotely, consultation with the flag administration, personnel training, and information transparency.
• Five randomly selected flag state rule sets were found to accept remote surveys, indicating that the practice is becoming increasingly established.
• Limitations are identified in unstable connectivity within voids, in tanks in use, in watertight voids requiring eight to twelve hours of ventilation, and in safety certificates and ISM shipboard audits that cannot be fully replaced.