INCASS

INCASS - Inspection CApabilities for enhanced Ship Safety

Project type: European research project

Period: 2013 - 2017

Focus Area: The INCASS (Inspection Capabilities for Enhanced Ship Safety) project is a multifaceted project bringing together a range of experienced and dedicated partners in order to tackle the issue of ship inspection, identification of high-risk and sub-standard ships, providing access to information related to ship surveys independent of the ship flag state and inspection regime and moreover incorporate enhanced and harmonised cooperation of maritime stakeholders in order to avoid ship accidents, promote maritime safety and protect the environment (EC 2012). Through the INCASS concept and the utilisation of some of Europe’s leading companies and institutions, both in the consortium and advisory board, in various fields including ship inspection, ship operations, condition monitoring, and development of advanced tools (e.g. field and service robots) and methodologies, will eventually make a significant contribution at European and international level in terms of enhancing ship inspections, harmonising the flow of information among ship operators, recognised inspection organisations (Classification Societies), regulatory authorities, shipyards and OEMs and thus achieving the identification of high risk or sub-standard shipping operations. In this respect, machinery and structural data from ship operations, inspection data and failures, is very valuable and could be used much more effectively to maximize benefits to the shipping business and the wider community. The EC RISPECT (Risk-Based Expert System for Through-Life Ship Structural Inspection and Maintenance and New-Build Ship Structural Design) project has produced a software tool for making the best use of operational data for ship structures. Additionally, the EC MINOAS (Marine Inspection Robotic Assistant System) project has shown that automated structural inspection is possible using crawling or flying robot devices. With the support of the outcomes of these two successful past projects and moreover by creating an upgraded and innovative platform for ship inspection, structures and machinery risk assessment and DSS, the INCASS project will be established.

The INCASS consortium aims to bring an innovative solution to the integration of monitoring, inspection, data gathering (including real-time information), risk analysis and management and Decision Support for ship structures, machinery and equipment in an efficient and collaborative manner through the introduction of the following innovative concepts:

  • Enhanced inspection of ship structures based on robotic platforms
  • Providing ship structures and machinery monitoring with real time information
  • Incorporate Structural and Machinery Risk Analysis (SRA and MRA)
  • Advanced/Condition Based inspection tools and methodologies
  • Reliability and Criticality based Maintenance founded on Condition Based approaches
  • Enhanced Central Database including ship structures and machinery available to maritime authorities (e.g. EMSA, Port State Control), Classification Societies and ship operators
  • Decision Support System (DSS) for ship structures and machinery for continuous monitoring and risk analysis and management of ship operation as a function of its operational profile

Videos related to the INCASS project (SRV contribution):

  • Pelican prototype description and capabilities

  • Field trials onboard a bulk carrier: summary video. This video illustrates testing activities on all relevant areas of the vessel.

  • Field trials onboard a bulk carrier: cargo hold field test. The video shows two inspection flights inside one of the cargo holds. The panoramic video of the MAV and the video captured by the on-board camera can be both watched for every flight.

  • Field trials onboard a bulk carrier: forepeak tank field test. The video shows one inspection flight inside the forepeak tank under low-light conditions.

  • Field trials onboard a bulk carrier: topside tank field test. The video shows one inspection flight inside one of the topside tanks under low-light conditions.

Project Leader

Alberto Ortiz Rodriguez

Alberto Ortiz Rodriguez

Project Collaborators

Related Publications