HullWiper has joined forces with International Paint, a subsidiary of AkzoNobel, and underwater drone ROV specialist Orobotix to provide shipowners and operators with comprehensive hull care support in a new partnership named Intertrac HullCare. The partnership offers high-performance coating schemes from International Paint tailored for different vessel types and operating profiles, which are maintained using...
Singapore start-up F-drones announced earlier this year its success in raising seed capital to further develop large scale autonomous drones for maritime logistics. VPO’s sister platform Digital Ship spoke with Mr. Yeshwanth Reddy, CTO and co-founder of F-drones to find out how the investment will help the company develop a new ground-breaking drone capable of...
F-drones, a Singapore-based start-up developing large scale autonomous drones for maritime logistics, has announced its success in raising its seed capital. The round was led by ship manager Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS). The round also saw participation from the Schulte Group, a reputed shipowner and manager with over 135 years of experience, through its venture...
Port authorities in Antwerp, Belgium, are making use of the European Maritime Space Agency’s (EMSA’s) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) to support day-to-day monitoring of port operations and rapid response to pollution incidents in the port area. The RPAS will enable the authorities to inspect at a distance their complex port environment which extends over...
The Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) has confirmed that over the next four months, a new drone that will sniff out sulphur emissions from ships will be tested over the Great Belt strait in Denmark. The drone is provided by the European Maritime Safety Agency and will operate in a specific area north of the Great...
Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) has completed its first survey by drone. The survey was carried out in the holds of a bulk carrier in an Italian port. The scope was an intermediate survey on a bulk carrier and consisted of close-up inspections and ultrasonic thickness measurements (UTM) conducted by the drone in two...
Regular inspection and maintenance of ships’ tanks to detect corrosion, cracks and other issues is essential to minimise permanent damage and avoid hefty costs. Human inspectors have traditionally entered tanks and examined them visually, but this can be dangerous and expensive. New research indicates that autonomous drone-based surveys could offer a safer and more efficient...
The Danish Maritime Authority is deploying Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) to monitor ship emissions around the Great Belt where tankers transit on their way to and from the Baltic Sea. The RPAS will specifically measure the ships’ sulphur emissions to check compliance with EU rules governing the sulphur content of marine fuel. The RPAS...
Wilhelmsen and Airbus have delivered a variety of small items to working vessels at anchorage via drone technology as part of a drone pilot project in Singapore. Lifting off from Marina South Pier in Singapore with 3D printed consumables from Wilhelmsen’s onshore 3D printing micro-factory, the Airbus Skyways drone navigated autonomously along pre-determined ‘aerial-corridors’ in...
RIMS BV has received another two certifications from DNV GL and the Indian Class Register for the use of Remote Inspection Techniques (drones) during surveys of enclosed spaces. Including these latest additions, RIMS now has certification from eight classification societies for its drone technology that combined with skilled pilots, reduces safety risks and offers a...
Robotics in Maintenance Strategies (RIMS) has received approval from ClassNK for the use of remote inspection techniques (drones) in enclosed spaces. The certification by classification societies for the use of drones during surveys of enclosed spaces enables shipowners and managers to choose remote inspection techniques for ship inspections, if they wish to do so. Using...
ClassNK has released its Guidelines for Use of Drones in Class Surveys, which outline the range and procedures, technical considerations, and service supplier requirements for using drones as part of class surveys. The rapid pace of development of drone-related technologies is leading to their increased use in field inspections and surveys. However, there are a...