Advanced underwater robot checks harbor quays

North Sea Port, the extensive port area in the Netherlands and Belgium, wants to inspect its quays using an advanced underwater robot. The robot contains numerous sensors for this job, including sonar, ultrasonic, laser and HD cameras.

For the time being, this is a trial by North Sea Ports. The underwater robot was made by the company Asset.Insight.

The output of the robot's inspection measurements are displayed on a dashboard. The inspectors pay particular attention to whether there are any cracks or other damage in the quay walls. These can be caused by propeller movements and the turning of ships. If damage is discovered too late, North Sea Port runs economic and safety risks.

A major advantage of the underwater robot is that no divers are needed. Moreover, the ships in the inspection area can continue to sail as normal.

Kars Quist, commercial director of Asset.Insight, let know: “The most valuable thing about this underwater robot is the data that is collected and that we make available to our customers. This ensures that the asset manager can make data-driven decisions for efficient management and maintenance planning. This saves a lot of money and time.”