ABS to offer remote surveys for “majority” of world’s offshore drilling rigs

Maritime and offshore classification company ABS has expanded remote survey technologies which can now provide surveys for the majority of the world’s offshore drilling units.

ABS said on Wednesday that it expanded its options for offshore operators to use remote survey technologies to streamline the survey process to include the majority of class and statutory annuals.

“The move ensures that ABS, which provides classification services to more than half of the global fleet of mobile offshore drilling units, continues to lead the industry in the development of digital class services,” the company stated.

Matt Tremblay, ABS SVP for global offshore, said: “Remote survey is now business as usual in the marine industry and our deep experience with the offshore industry means we are uniquely placed to ensure the many benefits can now be extended to our offshore clients for the first time.

“The range of remote services we offer the industry means operators can now simply book a survey and ABS will help the operator decide how best to carry out the work with the least operational interference”.

ABS also extended its remote survey and audit services to existing equipment manufacturing and external specialist clients enrolled in ABS programs.

According to the company, users of the ABS My Freedom Client Portal can take advantage of ABS Smart Scheduler, which leverages real-time AIS data to maintain fleet compliance and is the industry’s only mobile survey booking tool enabling any survey, including remote surveys, to be scheduled in less than a minute anytime, anywhere – even when there is no internet access.

It tracks survey status for all vessels in a fleet and then issues alerts when surveys are due, ABS claimed.