A new state-of-the-art Operational Centre to support the delivery of remote services to maritime customers has been launched in Hamburg, Germany, by the world’s leading classification society, DNV GL – Maritime. The launch also marks the two-year anniversary of DNV GL’s fleet wide roll-out of remote surveys and the milestone of 20,000 remote surveys delivered. This is DNV GL’s second Operational Centre dedicated to the delivery of remote services; the first was launched in Oslo in 2019.
“The launch of this cutting-edge facility is a clear demonstration of our commitment to making our experts even more accessible to our customers, whenever they need them,” said Geir Dugstad, DNV GL – Maritime Director Ship Classification and Technical Director. “We could never have foreseen the pandemic, but our significant experience with remote services has meant we have been able to meet its challenges head-on, while ensuring that our customers receive the same level of quality and assurance as an onboard survey.”
DNV GL – Maritime first piloted remote surveys in October 2018 and their popularity with customers has increased ever since, with customers benefiting from greater flexibility and efficiency in an increasingly challenging operating climate. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the demand of remote surveys and inspections. Since February, DNV GL has seen a 33% increase in the number of remote surveys delivered – 300 a week on average and 8000 completed since the pandemic’s outbreak – with 35% of all survey requests now being undertaken remotely.
“With the pandemic ongoing, it’s vital that our customers can continue to operate and deliver without disruptions to class services,” said Matthias Galle, DNV GL – Maritime Senior Vice-President, Fleet in Service Hamburg and Technical Support Germany. “At the same time, we cannot compromise the safety of crews and surveyors. The Operational Centre in Hamburg, alongside other facilities across the globe, enables us to meet our customers’ needs around-the-clock, with increased availability, savings on travel costs and downtime, and the same high standards.”
The new centre will feature six connected 55-inch screens with integrated software. These screens will enable DNV GL remote surveyors to view the live stream from a ship located anywhere in the world, while having simultaneous access to a dashboard containing all the relevant vessel information. Using the same interface, surveyors can also maintain simultaneous communication with the customer in real time throughout the process.
