BMT, a leading international engineering, scientific and marine risk management consultancy, is proud to announce the launch of its Remote Navigation Audit (RNA) service for the commercial shipping industry. This cutting-edge solution harnesses the power of digital technology to revolutionise traditional auditing processes, enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability in maritime operations.
With today’s industry/shipping operators’ increasingly adopting the appropriate and corrective regulatory/digital practices that are aiming to further professionalise the surveyor/master mariner workforce, navigational risks are being significantly reduced while the human element in the remote aspect of working is being strengthened.
With the ongoing advancement of digital technologies and the increasing demand for remote capabilities, BMT recognised the need for a streamlined and effective solution to conduct navigation audits remotely. Leveraging its deep expertise in maritime consultancy, claims and casualty investigation, BMT has developed a comprehensive system that enables remote assessment, monitoring, and analysis of vessels from any location worldwide.
The RNA service from BMT extracts data from ships’ Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs), conducts detailed assessments of navigation procedures, adheres to industry best practices and complies with international regulations, specifically focusing on the safety of navigation and culture on board ships.
The optimisation effects of this service are primarily focused on improving the operational performance of bridge teams on ships, resulting in various benefits. These benefits include improved performance and efficiency of their bridge teams. As a result, ship owners may experience increased levels of assurance and compliance with industry regulations and standards, reflected by cost savings, reduced environmental impact, improved operating ability, and increased resilience. Key benefits include:
- Leading indicator: A VDR review would give a true picture of the culture on the vessel’s bridge and thus also give leading indicators on the consequences of the current practices. We are all aware that when an auditor is onboard, the bridge team would react to his presence and be on its best behaviour. On the other hand, when a VDR download is done after the transit of a critical passage of the voyage, strait’s transit, anchoring/berthing, etc, the true culture on board is reflected.
Through this service, BMT provides customers a means to assess the performance of the bridge team, promulgate a proactive culture of navigational safety within their respective companies and seamlessly integrate the industry’s best practices. Benefitting ship owners, the regular RNA/VDR analysis work can supplement traditional or ordinary on-board navigation assessments when investigating incidents and as such can be both an investigative and a preventative tool that can highlight gaps and reduce reoccurrence which, in turn, could reduce incidents. The mitigating effects of this solution are reflected in its utilisation and through the bridge team and crew’s continuous learning and development.
- Enhanced Efficiency: BMT’s solution eliminates the need for physical presence on board vessels, significantly reducing travel time and associated costs. Audits and other high value inspection work can be conducted remotely, allowing navigation to be realised in real-time, efficient allocation of resources and faster turnaround times.
- Environmental Sustainability: The reduction in travel requirements contributes to a significant decrease in carbon emissions, aligning with the industry’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. BMT’s ‘carbon-efficient’ RNA service enables ship operators to actively support their green initiatives while remaining agile.
- Enhance the safety of navigation: In spite of various advancements in technological tools, the importance of ‘Situational Awareness’ and ‘Human Elements’ in safe ship-board navigation is of paramount importance and remains the focus of various quality control checks through audits. At BMT, its network of surveyors/master mariners conduct a comprehensive VDR analysis with graphical representation of critical parameters (depending on data extracted from VDR or SVDR onboard the vessel). Its work in this specialist services’ maritime domain, that can be pertinent to clarifying what significant benefits can be derived from post-incident analysis and VDRs, can help in improving safety at sea, particularly relating to: accident investigation, bridge team training, promoting best practice and accident prevention, assessment of response to safety and environment emergencies and reduction in insurance losses.
As the ship staff gets audited via VDR analysis, it in-advertently leads to a disciplinary change in the behaviour and mindset of the bridge team, and over a period, they are conditioned or learn how to behave appropriately. Additionally, they become competent at downloading the VDR data and tend to avoid using shore-based technicians in case of an accident/incident.
- Global Reach: BMT’s solution transcends geographical limitations, enabling audits to be conducted on vessels operating anywhere in the world. Ship operators can access BMT’s breadth and depth of expertise and services regardless of their vessel’s location, ensuring consistent and high-quality evaluations.
Dennis de Bruin, Managing Director of Surveys, BMT, expressed his enthusiasm about the new offering, stating, “We are thrilled to introduce the Remote Navigation Audit service, which marks a significant milestone in our commitment to driving innovation in the maritime industry. This solution not only enhances efficiency and safety but also aligns with our vision of promoting sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint.”
