Maximizing Hull Inspections with ROVs
Rachel Doornekamp | November 15, 2019
Hull inspection is a necessary task for travelling vessels. From structural integrity to transfer of invasive species to contraband smuggling, there are a variety of reasons as to why a ship should be inspected. Unfortunately, hull inspections can be an incredibly difficult task. Dry docking is expensive and laborious, while dive inspections can pose potential danger to humans in addition to being costly and time consuming.
Deep Trekker Underwater ROVs provide a cost-efficient, portable and user-friendly way to conduct hull inspections safely and quickly. Staying on top of hull inspections and maintenance allows you to maximize your time and money. Read on to see how ROVs can help you improve your hull inspections!
Sonar
Maritime environments can make obtaining clear visuals difficult, particularly at ports where frequent movement can stir up silt from the bottom. While all Deep Trekker ROVs come standard with high quality lighting, add ons such as auxiliary lighting and external floodlights are available to further enhance visibility in dark water. For turbid waters, imaging sonars are available to allow the user to identify issues or problem areas in the murkiest of environments. With Blueprint Oculus and Tritech Sonar technologies available, there is an option to suit you and your needs.
Inspection Recording
The DTG3 allows users to not only see what is happening under the water but take photos and recordings of what they are seeing. Record inspections with voice-over to an SD card for documentation, training and compliance purposes. Furthermore, a video provides you with a great piece to reference later if necessary.
Thickness Testing
Dealing with corrosion is a massive part of ship upkeep. Optimize maintenance schedules to minimize downtime by performing regular thickness testing on your vessels. With Deep Trekker’s thickness gauge integration, operators can utilize Cygnus’s industry-leading ultrasonic thickness gauge to evaluate the thickness of steel on tanks, hulls and other metal surfaces. The probe simply presses on the surface, providing effective measurements even through coatings or marine growth. With such a quick and easy testing device at your service, you can stay on top of your maintenance schedules.
Ports and Harbours
The condition of ports and harbours also play a serious role in the effectiveness of your ship. ROVs allow users to explore the area surrounding the boat to ensure that all underwater segments of a harbour are functioning in a safe and effective manner. Lost equipment or shipments can also be located and identified, allowing users to provide verification to those concerned.
Regular hull inspections help you streamline maintenance schedules to minimize downtime and maximize business. With Deep Trekker ROVs, hull inspections can be done quickly and easily with our tough and portable robots.
Learn more about the best Deep Trekker robots for hull inspection or contact an industry specialist today!