Bureau Veritas Unveils Augmented Surveyor 3D for Enhanced Ship and Offshore Inspections

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore has launched the Augmented Surveyor 3D (AGS 3D), an AI-driven inspection tool specifically designed for inspecting ships and offshore structures. This tool leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to enhance the detection and localization of anomalies, thereby optimizing the inspection process.

The company successfully completed a pilot program for AGS 3D on a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit in West Africa in collaboration with TotalEnergies. This pilot involved drone-based inspections of two water ballast tanks.

AGS 3D was used to process all collected data, resulting in a detailed 3D digital model that includes AI-enhanced corrosion analytics. The success of this pilot has led TotalEnergies to consider expanding the use of this technology to other assets.

Tatiana Akimova, project leader at TotalEnergies‘ Innovation Accelerator, stated:

“Integrating new technology, such as the AI-powered Augmented Surveyor 3D, supports our efficiency challenges. By utilizing drone technology and AI, we can enhance critical tasks like anomaly detection and corrosion mapping while significantly reducing human exposure to risks. This not only increases the safety of our teams but also optimizes our maintenance planning and decision-making processes. The successful test and future deployment of AGS 3D in our offshore fleet reflect our commitment to pioneering solutions that ensure asset integrity and create a safer working environment for everyone.”

The AGS 3D tool automates essential tasks such as anomaly detection, corrosion mapping, and 3D modeling, thereby promoting safety and improving efficiency. By integrating AI, the tool processes extensive data from drone surveys, including images, videos, and LiDAR scans, to automatically identify anomalies and map them onto a 3D model. This approach reduces the time and resources needed for data processing while providing accurate defect localization.

Matthieu de Tugny, president of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, emphasized:

“Precise localization of defects is crucial for effective investigation, maintenance planning, and ongoing monitoring. With AGS 3D, we can now automatically detect and localize defects, marking a significant advancement in remote inspection technologies and augmented surveys. This innovation further aids stakeholders in optimizing asset integrity management and inspection workflows.”

The application of AGS 3D spans various marine and offshore sectors, offering advantages such as 360° visualization, optimized maintenance planning, and data-driven decision-making. It also provides a collaborative workspace for inspection teams and serves as a valuable addition to classification surveys. AGS experts review the final outputs, including LiDAR-based drone inspections and AI-driven corrosion detection, to ensure quality.

Additionally, Survitec’s Seahaven evacuation system recently received formal Review Attestation from Bureau Veritas as a novel life-saving appliance under IMO Resolution A.520(13). Seahaven is recognized as a safety evacuation solution for high-capacity passenger vessels, capable of evacuating up to 1 060 people in under 22 minutes.