Ship compartment inspection is gradually moving from traditional manual practice towards digital, intelligent methods.
On large vessels such as bulk carriers, some compartments are large and structurally complex. Conventional inspection often involves working at height and close-up visual checks, which places higher demands on site safety, working efficiency and the retention of inspection data.
Tecway engineers recently travelled to Qidong, Jiangsu, to provide SCOUT 137 GEN3 industrial drone technical support for a bulk carrier project of Huazi Energy Engineering Co., Ltd., carrying out inspection and 3D scan modelling of the designated compartments.
01 Flying inside the compartment to reduce work at height
For this assignment the team used the SCOUT 137 GEN3 drone to inspect and scan the designated compartments.
Using an industrial drone to collect data at close range inside a compartment can, to a meaningful extent, reduce the need for personnel to work at height or to enter complex areas at close quarters, providing a more flexible, safer and more efficient technical approach to compartment inspection.
Compared with conventional manual inspection, the drone can enter the compartment as required on site and capture images and spatial scans of the target areas, helping the site team gain a clearer picture of the internal structure and condition.
02 3D scanning as a data base for later repairs
Alongside the on-site inspection, the second key task was the 3D scanning of the designated compartments.
In line with the site work requirements, the engineers completed the 3D scan, providing data support for building a digital model, carrying out repair assessments and preparing maintenance plans.
The value of 3D modelling lies not only in recording the current condition, but also in establishing a traceable data base for later repair work, re-inspection and project management.
With a digital model, the personnel involved can understand the spatial structure of the compartment and the inspected areas more clearly, giving a reference for subsequent work.
03 Digital technology upgrading ship inspection
Ship inspection and maintenance management increasingly value data retention and process traceability.
Combining industrial drones with 3D modelling opens a new technical path for compartment inspection: on one hand it helps reduce manual entry into high-risk areas and work at height; on the other, digital capture and modelling provide a more intuitive data base for later repair decisions.
After this on-site service, the customer welcomed the drone inspection and digital modelling approach, noting that technology is changing the future and that digitalisation will continue to reshape both economics and working methods.
Conclusion
From marine equipment service to drone inspection, and from on-site support to digital data capture, Tecway engineers stay close to the work site, understand the requirement and solve the problem.
Tecway will continue to draw on its professional technical service team and advanced industrial drone solutions to deliver safer, more efficient and more reliable support for ship inspection, maintenance management and digital transformation.
About Tecway
Founded in Hong Kong in 1993, Tecway International Limited is a leading technical consultant and high-quality agent for the global maritime industry. Over more than three decades it has built five core business areas — marine equipment, petrochemical storage and transport, diesel and internal combustion engines, maritime technical services and maritime consultancy — serving markets across China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.